


Things Change

by M_spooky



Category: 19天 - Old先 | 19 Days - Old Xian
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Dom/sub, M/M, Rough Sex, Self-Destruction, Self-Hatred, What-If
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:01:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 13
Words: 67,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24765091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/M_spooky/pseuds/M_spooky
Summary: I have been searching for a story that explores what might have happened during the time skip when He Tian and Jian Yi disappear. This is going to focus on Mo; how he dealt with He Tian's abrupt disappearance, and how the two of them are going to deal with He Tian's equally abrupt return.With the way the cannon story is going, I can't imagine She Li is going to give up on Mo so easily. Without He Tian around, would Little Mo fall back into the snake's grip? The answer is yes.After He Tian first comes back, he finds out that Mo and She Li are... together!? But, is everything as it seems?There's going to be a lot of self destructive behavior. Oh, and angst. Lots of angst. I am planning to end it on a good note though, if you stick with it.
Relationships: He Tian & Mo Guanshan (19 Days), He Tian/Mo Guanshan (19 Days), Mo Guanshan/She Li (19 Days)
Comments: 295
Kudos: 719





	1. Welcome Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the set up for the rest of the story. Every time I read the Christmas specials, I'm struck by how awkward Mo seems; maybe there is something going on in his head that we don't know yet? I used Yaoi-blcd's translation from tumblr as I transcribed the scenes (with grammatical edits). 
> 
> **This is the only chapter where I use the manhua for set up. The end of this chapter and the rest of the story will be entirely my own.**

These last few weeks had been extremely busy at work. Mo Guan Shan had volunteered for overtime hours, and he was hoping to put the extra payments towards his mom’s bills. Even though he moved out, he still wanted to help her when he could. At the beginning of the holidays, he proposed it like a practical Christmas gift since that was the only way she would accept it. Despite the good intentions, the 80-hour workweeks were quickly catching up to him, and he was glad this double shift was finally over. After taking out the last of the garbage, he half sat on the guardrail in the back alley of the restaurant. 

Pulling a pack of cigarettes from the back pocket of his jeans, he swiftly plucked one out and lit it. He didn’t particularly enjoy smoking, but for some reason, he kept going back to it when he was feeling lonely. As he took a deep inhale, he felt his throat catch and burst into a coughing fit. Tears clouded his vision so when a hand suddenly snatched the cigarette from his mouth, he was taken aback. Over the surprise, he was about to kick someone’s ass when he looked up. Standing before him like a ghost, He Tian’s wry smile made his stomach knot in all the wrong ways. 

“He… He Tian?” Guan Shan couldn’t believe his eyes, and his mouth hung open with disbelief. This had to be his imagination, some cruel joke his mind was playing on him for the umpteenth time.

“You have to overtime even on Christmas?” Lifting the cigarette to his lips, He Tian took a long, slow drag. The ghost in question looked entirely too bemused for Guan Shan’s liking.

“You… When did you come back?” He could hardly get the words out.

This was too much. The man who haunts his thoughts almost every night was standing in front of him. How many times had he wished for this exact thing to happen? How ironic that he now desperately hoped this was a dream; his life felt like it was one big joke sometimes. The dark-haired man stepped forward and suddenly gripped Guan Shan’s jaw. Confusion had him frozen in place as He Tian blew a cloud of smoke sensually in his face, causing another coughing fit. 

“ _–Cough, cough-_ Fuck you!” He shouted as he tried to wave the smoke away.

“Smoking’s bad for your health. I’m warning you, you better not smoke.” His smug tone brought back so many memories from when they were younger. 

“It’s none of your damn business!” Just like back then, his own attitude fell into its usual ferocity. Rubbing the sting from his eyes, he realized the other man was now seated next to him. 

“Take it.” With a smirk, He Tian held out a small, gift-wrapped box the size of his hand.

“What is it?” This whole scene was surreal. Guan Shan knew he should get the fuck out of here, that nothing good would come from this, but he ended up humoring the bastard instead. 

“Open it and see.” The sparkle in the other’s eye held nothing but promises of mischief.

Taking the small box in hand, Guan Shan fingered the wrapping carefully. Ripping the corner, he could see the writing on the box beneath the paper. 

“Lubricated…” _What the actual fuck?_ Tearing the rest of the paper away, more words were revealed. “Super thin 0.01...!?”

Suddenly, it dawned on him, and he felt the heat rise to his cheeks. That chicken dick had the nerve to gift him a pack of condoms like a grade-schooler. Looking up, he saw the idiot smiling from ear to ear, proud of the scene he had caused. Recovering from his embarrassment, Guan Shan finally came to his senses. Standing, he quickly slid on his jacket as he made his way over to his parked scooter.

“I’m done bullshitting with you. I’m finished with work and going home.” 

He had hoped the _'leave me the fuck alone_ ' vibe would be obvious, but He Tian seemed not to care as he called to his retreating back.

“I just came back to the country, and you are being so cold?” 

The dumbass was getting on Guan Shan's nerves; he should have known He Tian wouldn’t give up easily. He needed to put some distance between them or else things were going to go south fast. 

“Stay in touch if there’s free time, though I don’t usually have much.” It wasn’t a lie, these days he was almost always at work or… with him. Shaking the thought from his head, he started to get his scooter ready to leave.

Suddenly, the machine dipped as the other man settled behind him.

“Together~” He Tian spoke in his ear with a smile, ever so slightly too close. 

“Scram! We aren’t going in the same direction!” _Please, just take the hint._ Guan Shan thought to himself.

Oblivious to Guan Shan’s hints, He Tian continued his playful banter.

“I didn’t drive.”

Damn this idiot! He wasn’t going to make this easy for either of them. Why does he always have to be so persistent?

“Take a taxi!” Guan Shan spat.

“I don’t have money on me.” The other explained with feigned distress. 

Guan Shan’s resolve was wavering. It had been such a long time since they last saw each other, his heart clenched at the thought of parting so soon... Despite the consequences that were sure to follow, he supposed that a little more time together couldn’t hurt. Putting on his helmet with a sigh, he started the engine. 

“Little Momo, you are so kind~” He Tian sang into his ear as he wrapped his arms around Guan Shan’s waist. Unfortunately, a wince slipped out as the other man tightened his hold around his sore ribs. 

“Don’t fucking hug my waist!” It seemed like the sound of the engine muffled his slip-up. Thank god the other didn’t notice; he didn’t want to deal with that argument right now.

“Hugging is safer.” He could hear the smirk in the guy’s words and it was pissing him off. “Did you put away my gift in a safe place?” 

Suddenly, Guan Shan could feel He Tian’s hands start rummaging around in his jacket pockets. 

“Hey!” Distracted by the road, he couldn’t really fight the larger man off. “You… Don’t go through my pockets!”

Abruptly, He Tian pulled his hand up to reveal a plastic Christmas ring. With childlike wonderment, the idiot stared at the thing as if it was made of solid diamonds.

“It was from the points gathered at the store…” Guan Shan explained. He hadn’t even meant to take it home, but his coworkers made him.

“Yes, I will.” He Tian said in all seriousness.

“YOU WILL WHAT!?” Of all the stupid shit to come out of that dumbass’ mouth, this had to be the most idiotic. Leave it to He Tian to accept a fucking proposal from himself.

Guan Shan tried to suppress the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he missed this familiar back and forth. It was almost as if nothing had changed, even though everything had. The rest of the ride back to his place was spent in relative silence. Luckily, he lived close to work so there wasn’t enough time for things to get too awkward. Pulling up to the door, he hastily turned off the engine and removed his helmet. 

“We’re here. Let go.” He huffed. If he was lucky, He Tian would get bored soon enough and leave without much fuss. Though he seemed to have pretty shit luck.

Hugging a little tighter, He Tian laid his head on Guan Shan’s shoulder.

“So warm. You are like a little furnace~” Suppressing another wince, Guan Shan forcefully removed He Tian’s hands as he stood. Unlocking the large door, he slid it open and ushered the other man in. Once inside, he heard the guy hum to himself.

“How can someone live in a storage unit this small?" He Tian commented as he looked about the room, loosening his scarf. "So small.”

“Then you can scram.” Slightly offended, a little twinge of anger seeped into his words. It might not look like much, but he worked hard to get this place.

Walking about, He Tian idly began looking through his stuff.

“I didn’t think you liked reading?” He gently teased while picking up a book from the desk.

“Don’t touch!” Guan Shan bit back. Hopefully, the two of them could part ways amicably and move on. After all, He Tian had to finally realize they weren’t from the same world, right? Making himself comfortable, the guy obviously planned to stay as he shook off his jacket. Great. And he was still wearing that dumb ring! 

“I just imagined for a second…” Turning to face him, the other man hesitated with a coy smile.

 _Please, for once in your life, just keep your mouth shut._ Guan Shan pleaded in his head as the other started again. 

“You must look very attractive when you are studying intently.” He Tian finished with a lustful stare.

And there it was. _Fuck_. 

“You…” Frozen in place, Guan Shan fumbled with a jar he had picked up. He should have never brought him here. How could he have been so stupid!?

Suddenly, He Tian lurched forward and wrapped his arms around him in a crushing hug. Nuzzling his head into the crook of Guan Shan’s neck, he squeezed tighter. 

“Fuck! Do I fucking know you!?” Guan Shan shouted at the abruptness of the contact. The death grip also hurt, and he couldn’t suppress the quiet groan that escaped his lips. Fortunately, He Tian seemed to be too preoccupied to notice. 

Shifting his grip to look Guan Shan in the face, the dark-haired man sounded slightly desperate.

“Can I stay tonight?”

The unexpected closeness and hopeful expression on He Tian’s face had Guan Shan panicking. 

“No… You can’t!” This was bad, very bad. He had to do something quickly. 

Without warning, the world shifted around them, and Guan Shan landed on the bed with a huff. Above him, the larger man playfully held him down. With his hands pinned up by his head, He Tian leaned in dangerously close. 

“Shhh~ quieter.” His half-lidded eyes spelled nothing but bad news.

Guan Shan’s heart rate was quickening, yet he couldn’t tell exactly what was causing it. Like a deer caught in headlights, he just stared up at the man hanging over him, stunned to silence. Sensing his hesitation, He Tian took the lead as usual.

“You sleep on the inside, I’ll sleep on the outside.” He drawled near his ear.

The warm breath tickling his neck sent a shiver down his spine, which finally snapped him out of his daze. With newfound strength, Guan Shan managed to free his hands and forcefully pushed the other man away. 

“I fucking said you can’t!” He could feel himself shaking from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Coupled with his erratic breathing, he looked just like a frightened animal caught in a trap. 

Clearing his throat, he tried to sound less frantic.

“No, you can’t stay…” Looking up at the surprised face of the larger man, Guan Shan propped himself up on his elbows. “Actually, it’s probably better if you leave. Now.” 

Moving to sit up, he cursed himself when he audibly groaned at the stabbing pain in his abdomen. This time, He Tian didn’t miss it.

“What’s wrong?” Reaching out a hand, He Tian looked visibly hurt when Guan Shan brushed it away.

“I already told you, it's none of your business.” His response was unusually subdued as he waited for the waves of pain to ebb. 

Guan Shan couldn’t get over how stupid he was. Why did he even bring him back to his place? How did he think this would end any differently?

“Come on Little Mo, don’t be like that.” The other man pleaded weakly.

“Don’t be like what!?” The puppy-like look etched into He Tian’s features finally pushed Guan Shan over the edge. “Did you think that if you just showed up pretending everything was fine, that I would suddenly forget the shit you put me through? You’ve been gone for two fucking years! Just up and left; no word, no call, not even a fucking text! Do you even know what that did to me?” 

He knew it was harsh, but all the emotions from the last two years suddenly came bubbling to the surface.

“Guan Shan, I’m sorry…” Stunned at the sudden confession, He Tian went to reach for Guan Shan’s hand but was pushed away again. “Look, something happened, and I had to-,”

"I don't want to hear your excuses!” He shouted, cutting him off. “I don’t even care anymore. I’m done. I wasted enough time waiting for you to come back.” 

Trying to brush past the other man, Guan Shan was stopped by an iron grip on his upper arm. He Tian mumbled something that he couldn’t quite catch. 

“What was that?”

Lifting his head, He Tian looked at him with a dark expression.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t want to leave.” Guan Shan could feel He Tian’s grip tighten as if it was his last lifeline. 

Feeling exhausted and emotionally drained, Guan Shan sighed. 

“Like I care. What chicken dick wants you around anyway.” Shaking his arm free, he turned his back to the other man. “I wish you never came back.”

“Please… Don’t say that.” He was glad he couldn’t see He Tian’s expression because the submissive response was utterly uncharacteristic. The guilt was starting to weigh on his heart.

A silence stretched between them that lasted a lifetime. Guan Shan could feel the telltale signs of a tension headache coming on. With a groan, he pinched the bridge of his nose. There was no reason to drag this out any longer. As upset as he was, he didn’t enjoy hurting He Tian like this. 

“Look, I’m glad to see you’re doing well and all. Really, I am.” He sounded like he was awkwardly reading a script from a greeting card. “And I’m not trying to… What I mean is…”

He let the last sentence hang in the air. For some reason, his brain couldn’t quite piece together what it wanted to say. With a surge of frustration, he kicked the closest thing he could find, which happened to be his wastebasket, clear across the room with a grunt.

“Argh!”

Taking a few deep breaths, Guan Shan steadied himself before he continued. 

“I think you should go now.” Digging through his pants pocket, he fished out some money and hastily counted it. “I don’t know if this will get you all the way home, but you can pay me back-”

The tender arms that snaked around from behind startled him. He Tian pressed himself up against his back, burrowing his face into the nape of his neck as he pleaded.

“Can we please talk about this?” He Tian murmured so softly he almost missed it.

There was a sadness in his voice that had Guan Shan's chest aching. What he wouldn't give to be anywhere but here at this moment. Trying to free himself from his grasp only caused He Tian to tighten his hold. The pressure caused a sharp pain in his midsection, which had him hissing in discomfort. At that, He Tian immediately let go, and his tone changed back to its normal hardness. 

“Why do you keep doing that.” It wasn’t a question; it was a demand. “I noticed when we first got on your scooter, but I let it go since I figured you were just sore from work. Clearly, something’s wrong.”

 _Fuck._ Of course, he would notice that. The guy was a bloodhound for those things. 

“I already said, it’s none of your business.” He tried to dismiss the subject, but it was too late.

With controlled movements, He Tian closed the distance between them. Skillfully taking the smaller man’s hands in one of his own, he pinned him to the wall. Using his free hand to lift Guan Shan’s shirt, his eyes became dangerous black holes. The skin of his torso was marred by several injuries all in different stages of healing. Some sections had faded yellow blotches and light-colored scarring, while other parts were peppered with dark bruises and angry red cuts.

“Who did this to you.” Again, not a question, but rather a statement laced with the intent to kill. 

“Let go of me!” Guan Shan squirmed in his grip. 

Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried in vain to pull his hands free. He didn’t want to look at his midsection, it disgusted him every time he saw it. He was sure one of his ribs might be broken or at least badly bruised, but he couldn’t afford the hospital visit to be sure. It's not like they could do much for that kind of injury.

“I said, who did this to you.” He Tian’s voice was dangerously low, causing Guan Shan to open his eyes. The look on the other man's face was unreadable; as if he was wearing a stone mask. 

Recognizing the sting of tears in his eyes, Guan Shan swallowed thickly before he spoke. 

“A lot can change in two years, He Tian.” 

Guan Shan wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that when a quiet ding from his phone broke the tension. He Tian released his hands so he could answer it. Looking at the text, Guan Shan's stomach sank as he felt the color drain from his face. 

_‘Get over here. Now.’_

Quickly stuffing his phone back into his pocket, he tried to sound casual.

“I have to go. If you want to hang out here for a while, that’s fine. Just lock up when you leave.” Absently, he started gathering his stuff when a hand settled on his forearm. 

“What was that about? You look upset.” 

Guan Shan rubbed his face roughly with his hands; he just wasn’t in the mood to indulge He Tian’s prying right now. Looking at the taller man, Guan Shan sagged with the weight of the night crashing down on him. Apparently, he hadn’t been clear enough.

“I’d prefer if you were gone before I got back.” The words were spoken with as little emotion as possible. 

Turning to leave, Guan Shan stopped when He Tian grabbed his hand, gently pulling him back. Looking at the other man’s pained expression, Guan Shan’s heart clenched.

“Would you at least tell me if it was She Li who did this to you?” He Tian’s words sounded strangled. He seemed stuck between trying to convey his concern and attempting to hide his hatred for the accused.

Unable to meet his gaze, Guan Shan turned to hide his face before he spoke. 

“Even though you piss me off, I know you don’t want to hear the truth as much as I don’t want to say it. So please, I’m begging you… just let this go.” His breath was shaky towards the end, and it didn’t go unnoticed by either party.

Yet, the idiot just had to open his mouth anyway.

“You know I can’t.” He Tian stood firm.

Taking a deep breath, Guan Shan turned to face him finally. 

“He Tian... I- _uh_ , we… _ugh_ , fuck!” He was never good with words, and right now it was painfully obvious. Clenching his fists, he steeled himself knowing the damage he was going to cause. "She Li and I, we’ve been… together for the last year and a half.”

He Tian recoiled so violently from his touch that one would think he had touched an open flame. 

“Is this some kind of joke?” The disbelief couldn’t mask the pain in the other man's eyes.

Diverting his gaze towards the floor, Guan Shan felt his heart catch in his throat. 

“Yeah, well… As I said, things change.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!cLet me know if you liked it and it will help motivate me to continue. Next chapter Mo if going to meet up with She Li. Dun dun dun!


	2. The Devil's House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guan Shan has left He Tian at his place so he can meet up with She Li. Things only go down hill from here.

Guan Shan couldn’t believe the utter nightmare this night had turned into. Why the fuck did he always get the shit end of the stick? It wasn’t like he wanted much; most of the time he tried to keep to himself and just live a simple life, but for some reason, he continuously ended up in bad situations. And the most annoying thing of all was the way he attracted assholes into his life at every turn.

Hoping to take some time to clear his head, he had opted to walk to She Li’s instead of drive. Thankful for the slight chill in the air, he stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and continued walking down the back alleyways. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for his thoughts to wander back to the events of the last few hours...

After dropping the news that he and She Li were together, He Tian refused to look him in the eyes. In the end, Guan Shan ended up having to leave the guy at his place; the other man clearly needed time to come to terms with everything, and he couldn’t bear the thought of kicking him out in that state of mind.

Instead, he had silently placed some money on his desk and left the dark-haired man to his thoughts. Hopefully, He Tian would call for a taxi when he was finally ready to go.

As he continued to walk down the street, a ball of anxiety sat like a rock in the pit of his stomach, and his emotions were a jumbled mess. Although he was glad to be out of there, he also felt a pang of… regret? Shaking the thought from his head, he swore under his breath.

_Ugh_. Things were so fucked up, and his chest felt tight. Why couldn’t he just shut his brain off and not think for a while?

In truth, all he wanted was to be alone tonight, but that simply wasn’t an option. If he told She Li to stuff it, it would only blow up in his face later. Plus, it wasn’t like he could hide at home with He Tian still there.

Irritated, Guan Shan pulled his phone from his pocket for the umpteenth time. After leaving He Tian at his place, he had sent She Li a quick text to try and placate the guy. Feeling nervous, he re-read the message.

_Guan Shan: ‘Cool it. Running late from work. Be there when I get there.’_

Ominously, he hadn’t received a response from the silver-haired man, and he wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

_Probably bad._ Any time She Li was radio silent, there was no telling what he was thinking; the guy was a wild card in every way.

Rubbing his face roughly, he let out a sigh that morphed into a loud groan. What was he going to do?

Guan Shan was so lost in thought that he barely registered the familiar street he was on. How the hell had he gotten here so fast? He could have sworn he was still at least 10 minutes away from this place...

Scowling up at the lit neon sign above him, he read the name of the club like it was a curse: ‘ _The Devil’s House.'_

The sign was bright and illuminated the street with an eerie red glow. Frowning to himself, he couldn't help but laugh; the name was fitting considering who owned it.

In this part of the city, the She family had a lot of influence and owned quite a few places. After graduation, She Li inherited some of the family responsibilities; meaning he got to choose which places he was going to manage. In the end, the guy decided to take over this bar and expanded it into an impressively big night club. After all, a club is one of the better places to run his shadier side dealings.

And yet, despite some sketchy clientele, the club managed to garner a name for itself on the party scene. Known for having an ‘anything goes’ kind of atmosphere, it became extremely popular with all sorts of crowds.

However, Guan Shan wanted nothing more than to never see this place again. In fact, if he could drop everything and leave all this shit behind, he'd do it in a heartbeat.

Keeping his head down, he swiftly approached the long line of patrons waiting impatiently for a chance to get inside. While he avoided their stares, he went straight past them and up to the bouncer. With a small nod, the imposing door of flesh let him through; much to the dismay of the agitated crowd, who whined their complaints.

The chorus of idiots had his temper flaring, and he couldn't hold back his bad mood.

“Oh, shut up!” He snarled and flashed a quick middle finger their way. _So annoying..._

Moving through the entrance into a dimly lit hallway, he could hear the faint pounding of music as he neared a large, soundproofed door. Gripping the handle to slide it open, he recoiled from sensory overload as he entered the main room. Inside the club, music drummed through his chest in time with the flashing lights. He didn’t recognize the song, but then again, he never listened to the type of music they played here. In his opinion, most of it was far too mind-numbing and it all sounded the same.

Stepping down to the dance floor, his eyes and nose burned from the thick clouds of cigarette smoke. Being bumped into from all directions, he felt disoriented as he stumbled through a group of partygoers who were too drunk to register that he was even there. Not to mention the spilled drinks had his shoes sticking to the tiles, making it harder to walk. The further in he got, the tighter his chest became.

Was it the just the large crowd, or his anxiety that made it hard to breathe? Clutching his chest, he knew he needed to get to open space, or he was likely to fall into a full blow panic attack.

Pushing his way through the crowd, he finally managed to reach the bar. Taking a moment to steady himself on the counter, he was gaping like a fish as he swallowed a few deep breaths. Eventually his heart rate settled, and he strained his eyes to scan the darkened dance floor. He couldn’t see anyone he knew and that was going to make finding She Li even harder.

Abruptly from his right, he heard a faint ‘ _hey_ ’ as the barman tried to get his attention. Fortunately, it seemed like the bartender had recognized him right away. Without needing to be asked, the other man motioned towards the VIP lounge.

Averting his eyes, Guan Shan grimaced; he knew he stuck out like a sore thumb in a place like this, but it was embarrassing that the entire staff knew why he was here. _This was just great..._ Nodding his thanks, he didn’t get far when a light tug on his jacket sleeve stopped him. Startled, he probably appeared a little jumpy as he hastily looked back.

“Oh, Buzzcut!" He shouted over the music. It was the last person he expected, but he was actually kind of happy to see the smaller man. After all, Cun Tou was one of the only people that he trusted in this place. "What are you doing here?”

The look on his friend’s face had him worried. Pulling them to the side of the bar, Cun Tou’s eyes scanned around nervously before he leaned in close to Guan Shan’s ear.

“I don’t know why, but She Li is in a very bad mood tonight. More than usual." He kept the words as low as he could over the music, probably worried they were being watched.

_Awesome_. He knew the no text was a bad sign… Clenching his jaw, Guan Shan bent towards the shorter man’s ear.

“Thanks for the heads up.” Yet, when he went to head towards the lounge, the other man didn't release the grip on his jacket.

"I'm serious. Be careful, boss." Even after high school, this guy wouldn’t stop calling him boss no matter how many times he told him to quit it. Feeling the guilt weigh him down, he wished Cun Tou wouldn’t look up to him like that, since he didn't deserve it... Though he was grateful for the other man's company over the years.

Attempting to calm his nerves, Guan Shan gave his friend’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze before continuing his trek to his 'appointment.'

Weaving through the patrons, it didn’t take long for him to reach the roped off portion of the room despite the crowd. Once he made it to the edge of the space, he snorted to himself with disgust. The dimly lit area held multiple luxurious couches lining the walls, and several groups of people were scattered about, each engrossed in their own activities. On one end, there were a few individuals clearly snorting lines, either unaware or simply uncaring of who saw. Not that they should care, most of them were rich assholes who managed to buy their way into the VIP section, and that status afforded them certain liberties. In fact, he could faintly make out the shadows of a threesome in the corner. And from the sounds of it, they were clearly loving the voyeurism.

_Fucking get a room you assholes._ Getting annoyed, Guan Shan averted his eyes with a light blush on his cheeks. Thinking about it, that kind of stuff used to really bother him when he first started coming here, but now he just ignored it as best he could. Still, he hated being here on busy nights since it was practically common place.

Turning away from the attention-seekers, he finally spotted She Li sitting at a large table. Unsurprisingly, the silver-haired man was surrounded by his usual entourage of thugs. Though a little unexpected, the guy also had a couple of young women in their early twenties trying in vain to get his attention; both plumped their lips and positioned themselves to show a little too much cleavage. It was quite the show as they fawned over him.

Watching the scene unfold, it was obvious that they were trying to get free drinks, or maybe they just wanted to brag to their friends about sleeping with him. After all, he was the owner of a popular club and quite wealthy, too. Normally, She Li would give them a little taste since the guy loved manipulating people, but tonight he was completely ignoring them.

"Idiots..." He mumbled to himself. They were either too drunk or stupid to realize how dangerous that snake really was.

Having seen enough of the girls flirting, Guan Shan let himself through the rope and past security. Not wasting time, he deliberately walked into She Li’s line of sight, and the other man looked up from his drink with a dangerous expression. Without a word, the guy brushed the two women away from him without a second look and stood, much to their disappointment.

Seemingly annoyed, the larger man stalked up to him with a carnal stare before turning to leave the lounge. Not needing to be told what that meant, Guan Shan followed the man with resignation. Sparing a glance behind him, he watched as the other goons swooped in on the women She Li discarded.

_At least they’ll get the free drinks they wanted._ He thought cynically.

Passing through the crowd again, it didn’t take long for them to reach the stairs that led to the upper floor. Above the main level, the club boasted a dozen or so rooms. Most were used for running the club, such as the security room and a couple of meeting rooms for business. However, some were also available for private use for the right price; each being fully furnished with both seating and… beds.

When they finally reached one of the solid metal doors, She Li stepped aside as he opened it and motioned for Guan Shan to enter first. The knot in his stomach twisted tighter as he stepped inside, putting him on edge. Being that the rooms were soundproofed, the absence of the rhythmic bass left his ears ringing. Even though he was glad to be away from the loud music, the light-headed feeling he had was making him a bit dizzy.

Hearing the door shut behind him, Guan Shan swallowed hard when the soft click of the lock rang out shortly after. It didn’t take long for She Li to start in on him.

“I’ve missed you, my Little Mo.” Despite the statement, the cadence of his voice portrayed only irritation.

Remembering Buzzcut's warning, he tried to keep his voice calm despite his anxiety.

“I told you, I was running late-,”

“ _Strip._ ” The harsh command made him jump.

Turning to look at the other man, Guan Shan could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

“What?”

His hesitation only made She Li more agitated.

“I said: Take. Off. Your clothes.” The guy's voice was venomous tonight.

Guan Shan knew he was playing with fire, but he never liked being bossed around. He decided to push his luck; after all, he was in a bad mood too.

“Who pissed in your cereal this morning?” He spat back.

Even though She Li walked towards him slowly, the look in his eyes had Guan Shan’s warning bells going off. Maybe he shouldn’t have pushed him?

Backing up until he back came flush to the wall, his heartbeat drummed in his ears. Seeming to enjoy his panic, She Li continued his advance until he pressed his hands against the wall on either side of Guan Shan’s head. Leering at him from behind his bangs, the larger man growled low.

“You never know when to just shut up, do you?” The lingering smell of alcohol tickled Guan Shan’s nose. Languidly, the silver-haired man’s gaze trailed down his face to linger on his lips. With a quick lick of his own, he continued. “If you make me repeat myself, you’ll regret it.”

Glaring, Guan Shan cursed him.

“Bastard. I fucking hate you.” It was the truth. He did hate him. Almost as much as he hated himself for how weak he was at this moment.

Without breaking eye contact, Guan Shan shook off his jacket and let it fall to the floor with a thud. Slowly, he moved his shaky hands down to the hem of his shirt. Taking the fabric in his fingers, he lifted it over his head and discarded it on the floor in a heap.

She Li’s eyes now glanced down at his marred chest, a small smile playing on his lips.

“My, my, what beautiful skin you have, Little Mo.” He purred through a sleazy smile.

The other man moved to touch one of the sensitive red marks but was quickly slapped away.

“Shut up, asshole.” Hesitating over the button of his jeans, he could feel the heat rise to his cheeks as She Li scoffed at him.

_“Tsk,_ come on. I don’t have all night, and you already wasted time getting here.” Agitated, the silver-haired man moved to unbutton his pants for him but stopped when Guan Shan yelled.

“No!” The alarm in his voice was embarrassing, though She Li seemed amused.

“Fine.” The words came out with a toothy grin that held no humor. “Then take them off.”

Cold, golden eyes narrowed as he watched Guan Shan fidget with the fastenings. Finally getting them undone, he let his pants drop to the floor. Standing in just his underwear, he watched She Li carefully examine his body, almost like he was looking for something. It was strange, even for him.

Under the scrutiny, Guan Shan felt unnerved.

“What’s your problem? Stop fucking staring at me!” He snapped.

Unimpressed with his outburst, She Li dipped his head to his ear while he whispered.

“You like it when I stare.” Feeling the hot breath ghosting over his neck, Guan Shan felt his skin tighten with goosebumps.

“What kind of idiot would want a crazy fuck like you staring at them?” The words seethed with the pent-up emotions he'd been holding in all night.

Startling him, a stark laugh escaped She Li’s lips as he dipped his finger into the waistband of Guan Shan’s underwear. Pulling them down slowly, his half erection was revealed.

“What a rotten mouth you have, constantly lying. But thankfully, your body is always so honest~” With that, She Li gripped him by the back of the neck and roughly tossed him on the bed.

Landing on his stomach, Guan Shan winced at the pain from his sore midsection. Behind him, he could hear the rustle of clothing as the other man hastily undressed. He didn’t have time to recover before he felt a presence moving up behind him. With rough hands, She Li grabbed his hips and propped him up on his knees. With his ass in the air and face still pressed to the bed, the silver-haired man bent over to the side and met his gaze as he seethed.

“I’m sure you realize that I’m in a really bad mood tonight. I don’t suppose you happen to know why?”

Disappearing from Guan Shan’s view, he could hear the sound of lube being squeezed from its container. Attempting to push his chest up from the bed, he was stopped by a forceful hold as She Li’s lust laden voice commanded him.

“Stay. You look better with your ass in the air, and I quite like the view.”

“Fuck you!” With a snarl, Guan Shan tried to push back to no avail. Just then, he froze as he felt something hot press against his entrance. Closing his eyes in anticipation, he pleaded in his mind. _Please, make it quick..._ Goddamn it! He was honestly so pathetic, but after everything that had happened tonight, he just didn’t have the resolve to resist the other man.

Yet, to his confusion, She Li stopped his advance. Instead, Guan Shan opened his eyes to look back at him when he heard the deadly tone used by the other man.

“I heard some very interesting news tonight.” Moving a little closer towards his face, She Li’s eyes became threatening as he spoke again. “I heard that bastard He Tian is back in town.”

The abrupt announcement had the color drain from Guan Shan’s face in horror. Suddenly, his mind was racing with a thousand thoughts at once. Was She Li planning something? Was He Tian in danger? _Did he know the two of them were together tonight!?_ Panicking, he didn’t know what to do. With wide eyes, he looked back at the other man as he tried deflecting the scrutiny.

“Wha- _ARGH!”_ He only managed to get the first word out when She Li thrust deep inside him without warning. Shock, coupled with the throbbing in his ass, had him bury his face into the mattress with a muffled groan. Clenching the blanket in his fists, he had to force his body to relax so he could get used to the pressure.

With a shaky breath, Guan Shan hissed through gritted teeth.

“Why… did you… bring up He Tian?” It took all his self-control to sound as uninterested as possible, especially given his current state. Unfortunately, She Li was not impressed.

"Still loose from the last time we did it, or maybe you've been sleeping around?" That must have been why She Li was looking him over so intensely earlier; he was checking for any marks left on his body from He Tian. Slowly sliding his dick out so that only the tip remained inside, both of them let out shuddering moans at the sensation.

With a quick motion, She Li plunged back in as far as he could and spoke again.

“You will tell me if he tries to contact you.” Despite the menacing tone, the ecstasy in the guy's voice was still evident.

Again, She Li moved his hips out slowly then slammed back in, painfully hard.

_“Aghh!”_ Guan Shan felt the air in his lungs forced out of him with each thrust. “Fuck- _ugh!_ You… _mmpfhh!”_

Biting his lip to stop from crying out, his temperature was beginning to rise as they continued their rhythm. Even though he didn’t want to admit it, his body was starting to feel good. _Fuck_. This happened every time the two of them had sex, and he was ashamed of himself. Maybe this was all he deserved? Becoming someone’s plaything; to be used and abused for someone else’s pleasure.

Arching his back so that She Li could reach deeper inside, Guan Shan let out a slightly too desperate whimper on the next thrust. Feeling his lower abdominal muscles tighten, he moved to touch his dick, which was already dripping pre-cum. With a quick movement, the other man’s hand abruptly reached around to grab his cock instead and startled him. The grip was painfully tight as She Li stopped moving and caught his attention with a low rumble.

“I didn’t say you could come yet.” At that, She Li completely removed himself from inside of him, leaving him feeling empty.

Nimbly, the larger man flipped him onto his back and lifted one of Guan Shan’s legs up to his chest, exposing his entrance again. Above him, She Li seemed to be eating him with his eyes. The guy was taking his time to look him over when his gaze dropped down to Guan Shan’s lower half.

With a sneer, the snake scoffed.

“Look at how your asshole twitches with anticipation for me. If you want it so bad, you just have to ask~” The smile on She Li’s face made him sick to his stomach.

Being in such a vulnerable position, Guan Shan's mind was in chaos. It was true that his body had betrayed him, but he was only human and physical pleasure could be undeniable. Appallingly, he used She Li almost as much as She Li used him; a symptom of his deep self-loathing. Sometimes, it was easier to fuck until he passed out instead of being stuck with his depressive thoughts. Not to mention that this whole arrangement sprouted from an unfortunate set of circumstances, things that he couldn’t change no matter how hard he tried.

Feeling the shame and embarrassment press down on his chest again, Guan Shan glared up at the man looming above him.

“I’ll _never_ want you.” The disgust in his voice dripped with every word.

To his surprise, She Li let out a loud laugh.

“You’re so good at lying to yourself, Little Mo.” Reaching forward, the snake firmly took his jaw in his hand and prevented him from turning away. “I should have known, given how long it took for you to realize where you belong. Always so eager to run off to play with those fake friends, only to be burned when they turned their backs on you. Don’t forget who took you back when you were at your lowest, even after all the shit you pulled. I’ll always be there for what’s _mine_ …”

The last word held an air of dominance, and it really pissed Guan Shan off. Before he could argue, She Li roughly inserted himself back into his ass. The surprise made him close his eyes tightly and bite his lip to keep from crying out; he didn’t want to give that bastard the satisfaction.

Another chuckle from She Li rumbled against his chest as the other man spoke again. 

“I like it when you try to play it cool.” He drawled in his ear. “Let’s see if you can handle what’s to come."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for waiting patiently for this chapter! I may still edit it a bit, but I felt like it was up to snuff. Hopefully it didn't disappoint?
> 
> Next chapter we will get a little He Tian POV, and we will also be seeing some aftermath of Guan Shan's rough night.


	3. Merry Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get a little bit of He Tian's thoughts on things, and then Mo tries to leave the club.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say, thank you so much to everyone who has been sharing their love for this! I have a plan for where I want it to go, and I hope everyone sticks with me for the ride. Be sure to buckle up, I'll try my best to make it good!
> 
> Also don't mind the new plot character I needed to create. He won't be a main player (for the most part), just there to give us some ANGST. And oh boy, will there be angst to come in the next few chapters...

He Tian couldn’t believe what he had just heard. Mo Guan Shan and that sadistic snake were... Quickly, he shook the thought from his head as he couldn't bring himself to finish it. Maybe if it remained unsaid, it wouldn't be true? Hiding his eyes behind his bangs, he stood silently as the other man talked to him. He was so upset, he barely registered what the redhead was saying. After a while, Mo had left.

Now that He Tian was alone, his legs became weak, and he forced himself to sit on the smaller man’s bed. It felt as though his emotions were on a roller coaster. As if his heart couldn’t decide if it was depressed, pissed, or downright destroyed. _What the fuck was going on?_

If he was being honest, his first instinct was to run out and drag the redhead back to his own apartment. He wanted to hold the smaller man down and make him talk. Yet, something held him back. Instead, he remained in Mo’s apartment for a while as his heart ached. A piece of him hoped that maybe the other man would suddenly walk through the door again, to give him a chance to explain that this was all a misunderstanding... 

But eventually, he had to come to terms with the situation. The redhead wasn’t coming back any time soon, and even if he did, He Tian knew it wouldn’t do any good to corner the guy. Maybe it was the look in Mo’s eyes, or perhaps his own guilt was surfacing from the other man’s accusations. Either way, his resolve for action waned with each passing second. Did he really have the right to just come crashing back into Mo's life?

With a heavy sigh, He Tian checked the time on his phone: _2:17am._

Standing, he walked about the room to collect his belongings, but after he put on his jacket and scarf, he stopped. Glancing around the room, he couldn’t keep himself from looking through some of Mo’s stuff. Everything here was like a puzzle piece that formed the fiery redhead. Though he was surrounded by familiarity, it was also clear that things had changed. All of the books scattered about, the things kept on the shelves, the clothes tucked neatly in the wardrobe, and the red guitar he had given to Mo before he had left...

He Tian was obviously no longer the same boy from a few years ago, and he was sure the other man wasn’t the “Little Mo” of the past either. Mo was right; two years was a long time.

With sadness in his heart, he gathered his resolve and left the small storage room apartment. On his way out, he decided to take the money Mo had left. Not because he needed it, but because he didn’t want the guy to worry that he hadn’t gotten home. Plus, this gave him the excuse to see him again, to 'pay him back.' Yet while walking back to his car, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. For some reason, this whole situation just didn’t sit well with him. Quickly pulling out his phone, he texted the one person who might have some insight about the last two years.

_He Tian: ‘Hey. We’ve got a situation, and I need to talk to you guys. Can we meet up?’_

Despite the late hour, He Tian got a string of replies pretty quick.

_Zheng Xi: ‘Can’t right now, Jian Yi got too drunk and passed out.’_

_Zheng Xi: ‘What about tomorrow night?’_

_Zheng Xi: ‘Is it something serious?’_

He Tian had to laugh; Zhan Zheng Xi was like Jian Yi’s handler. Always toting that carefree dumbass around and making sure the idiot didn’t get into too much trouble. The guy probably changed Jian Yi’s drunk ass into pajamas and tucked him in with a glass of water on the bedside table. Does he ever get tired of being Mr. Responsible?

Still smirking, he sent his own rapid-fire texts back.

_He Tian: ‘I’m not sure yet, but tomorrow works.’_

_He Tian: ‘My place, 8pm.’_

Satisfied, he slid his phone back into his pocket as he finally made it to his parked car. Unfortunately, his place was a bit of a drive from Mo’s work. Though luck seemed to be on his side as the streets were fairly empty, and he made it back in less than 20 minutes. A new record even for him.

By the time He Tian finally made it up the elevator and back to his apartment, the heaviness in his heart had turned into a wave of smoldering anger. After locking his front door, he walked into his empty living room and forcefully tossed his belongings onto the lone couch. Furious, he paced around the room unable to calm down as his mind raced. It seemed like the more time he had to think about it, the more explosive he became. Replaying the night in his head, he could feel his stomach turn just as it had earlier. 

Were those two really dating, or did Mo only say that to push him away? And why was Mo hurt like that, could he be in danger? 

He Tian cursed himself for not following his gut feeling; he should have dragged that redhead home kicking and screaming. _That fucking bastard snake!_ More than anything, he wanted to hunt She Li down and finish what he started two years ago. He would make that piece of shit man regret ever fucking with his Little Mo. But, he had to play this smart... If Mo was actually being forced into this ‘relationship,’ it could be more dangerous for the other man if he came barging in with guns blazing. Clenching his fist, he needed to come up with a plan to make that greasy fuck pay... _painfully_.

Still angry, He Tian made his way to the kitchen. Conveniently, it was restocked before his arrival with everything he could want. Needing something to calm his thoughts, he reached above the fridge and pulled down a bottle of whiskey. With ease, he poured himself a drink and brought it back out into the living room. Taking a seat on the couch, he lit a cigarette and took a long, slow drag.

Looking at the hand holding his glass, he noticed the small plastic star ring that was still wrapped around his finger. Switching the glass to his other hand, he pulled the ring up into the light. Staring at it, the thought of Mo’s face colored with a blush as red as his hair flashed in his mind. The image had a weak smile playing on his lips as his heart swelled.

If Little Mo was truly happy without him, he would let the other man live his own life. Still, he needed to make sure that the redhead was taken care of and safe. Even if that meant the smaller man wanted to stay with the snake. Though, he would vastly prefer it if that bastard disappeared from both of their lives.

Slowly bringing his hand to his lips, he gave the ring a gentle kiss. _This was going to be a very long night._

* * *

In his haziness, Guan Shan could feel something roughly tapping his cheek as someone spoke to him.

“Get...” It was hard to focus on the voice as the words came through muffled. Everything felt sluggish as he furrowed his brows in confusion, and he couldn’t quite remember where he was.

Now, the tapping turned into a much more forceful grip.

“I said: Get. Up.” The words were snarled so close to his ear that his skin tightened with goosebumps.

With fear, Guan Shan’s eyes shot open as his heart raced in his chest. _What the fuck!?_

Getting his eyes to focus was difficult, but eventually, the blurry image in front of him became clearer with every blink. Concentrating, he cautiously watched as She Li release the grip on his face and step back to stand near the foot of the bed. The other man was shirtless but already had his black jeans back on and a towel in hand. Tossing the towel down on the bed next to him, She Li spoke in a short tone.

“Clean yourself up. You know the way out.” As the silver-haired man bent down to retrieve his shirt from the floor, his toned body put on an impressive display as his muscles rippled. Pulling it over his head as he walked to the door, he stopped before exiting. “Don’t forget what I told you. If that bastard tries contacting you, you _will_ let me know. And keep your phone on in case I need to reach you.”

The edge in the other man’s voice held a clear warning, and it was obviously not up for debate. Even though Guan Shan was still half asleep, he wasn’t about to take orders that easily.

“F-fuck off! I’ll do whatever the fuck I want, you don’t own me.” His voice sounded hoarse from a mixture of overuse and tiredness.

The look that flashed in those golden eyes screamed danger, and he flinched when She Li growled back.

“Do you have selective memory, or are you just playing dumb? I can always give you a reminder of the debt you still owe me.”

As Guan Shan glared at the other man, he suddenly became acutely aware of just how naked he still was. Feeling his face become hot, he grabbed the towel to cover himself up. Looking away, the embarrassment could be heard in his voice as he mumbled under his breath.

“No, I don’t." He hated going along with what that bastard wanted, but the repercussions of disobeying him were always much worse. At the moment, he’d take the lesser of two evils. "I’ll do what you say, alright? So, will you just leave already?”

Satisfied, She Li gave him a smart-ass response as he went out the door.

“Why are you always so modest? It’s not like I haven’t _intimately_ seen every inch of your body. I quite like your taste, too~” Ending the sentence with a definitive _oomph,_ he shut the door behind him.

The comment had Guan Shan’s body suddenly feel like it was overheating, even his ears were searing from his blush. _Fuck that chicken dick asshole!_ He always had to get the last word in and say the most disgusting things! Beside himself, he gripped the towel with a white knuckled hold as his anger bubbled over. 

Looking down at himself, he was taken aback by how much of a mess he was. New angry red bite marks covered his chest and collarbone, along with dark purple hickeys that painted his already rough skin. Although he couldn’t see them, the sensitive spots on his neck told him there were more bruises there too. She Li seemed to have spent extra time on his neck despite his complaints.

 _What a jerk._ Guan Shan had told him before that he couldn’t have marks like that at work. Normally She Li obliged him, mostly keeping to places that could easily be covered up or hidden. Being in such a bad mood, the guy was probably doing it on purpose so it became an obvious, very public, mark of ownership. It seemed like the bastard was actually pretty worked up over He Tian’s return.

Alone in the quiet room, he let out a short laugh; it was nice to see something finally get under the snake’s skin for once.

To his surprise, his laugh quickly turned into a loud yawn. Guess the exhaustion from all his overtime at work, and the emotionally taxing night was starting to get to him. Plus, his back hurt, and his ass was sore. Though, he chose to ignore those last two points as he conveniently pushed the thought from his mind. Rubbing the tiredness from his eyes, he fully sat up now. It was unusual, but he must have fallen asleep shortly after he had...

Looking down at his chest again, his face flushed. There was quite a liberal layer of cum on his torso, slightly drying at the edges, which began to slowly drip down his stomach.

“Ugh! Fucking gross!” Standing, he quickly used the towel to wipe himself down. However, an unexpected sensation on his leg made him freeze. Peering down at his inner thigh, he watched as She Li’s cum leaked out of his ass and ran down his leg. “What the _fuck!?_ ”

Mouth hanging open, his expression twisted into one of horror as his brain flip-flopped between anger and utter disbelief at what he was witnessing. Thankfully, the shiver that ran down his spine broke his shock. Using the towel, he wiped away any trace of She Li left on him.

 _Ugh! That piece of shit!_ Guan Shan knew She Li did that on purpose just to piss him off. His body felt disgusting, and he desperately wanted a shower. Still horrified, he swiftly gathered his discarded clothes that were still strewn across the room. Getting dressed in record time, he searched his pockets for his phone. Pulling it out, he saw that it was already five in the morning. _Fuck_. It was a good thing he had today off.

Stuffing the device back into his jacket pocket, he rubbed his face again with a deep sigh. This whole day has been the longest of his life and it wasn't even over yet. Hopefully, he could just pass out when he got home and wake up to find out this was all a dream. Though things never seemed to work out like that for him. Checking once more to make sure he had everything, he mentally gathered himself before exiting the room. The main thing he wanted was to leave the club without being seen. Given the time, the club would be empty of customers, but She Li’s thugs would still be hanging around. He really did _not_ want to deal with them right now.

Steadying his hand as he opened the door, he noticed right away that the awfully loud music was gone. Given that he was at a club, he felt unnerved by how quiet it was as he made his way down the hallway and to the stairs. Not wanting to waste time, he took them two at a time and made his way along the outskirts of the main floor. Passing the bar, he was almost to the exit when someone shouted to him from behind.

“Hey, look who it is! Trying to make a speedy exit, _Little Mo_?”

Guan Shan stopped dead in his tracks and silently swore under his breath. _Anyone but this shithead.._. Turning around, he saw a group of onlookers gather as a man with short blonde hair walked towards him. Even though he didn’t want to start anything, it was clear that the other man wasn't going to let him leave quietly. 

As the blonde drew closer, Guan Shan had to look up at him ever so slightly. Despite the height difference, he called out the taller man with the best bravado he could muster.

“What the hell do you want, Shen Jun.” His tone was flat, hoping to convey an air of _‘don’t fuck with me.’_ Though much to his dismay, Shen Jun closed the distance and came nose to nose with him.

Rumor had it that Shen Jun used to be with She Li before everything happened. After Guan Shan came back into the group, She Li focused all of his ‘ _attention_ ’ on him instead of Shen Jun. Now, the guy always had it out for him at any chance he got. With a sharp look, Shen Jun examined him carefully, and his eyes immediately locked onto his neck. With a sneer, the blonde looked him in the eyes as he addressed him.

“What do we have here." Flicking the collar of Guan Shan's jacket, he scoffed. "Did you have a good time being She Li’s bitch tonight?”

“What the fuck did you just say?” Anger flooded his words. He really didn’t want to fight, but he wouldn’t let this chicken dick walk all over him either.

With an irritating smirk, the other man continued.

“You heard me.” Taking a step, Shen Jun got even closer, and he could feel the heat radiate from the other man’s breath as he snarled. “We all know you’re a whore who begs for dick up your ass.”

Anger filled him immediately, and Guan Shan lost it. Without even registering his actions, he lunged forward and grabbed the other man’s shirt. Despite landing a swing, he was unprepared when Shen Jun’s own fist connected with his side. The punch hit him right on his sore rib and sent him sprawling on the floor as he gasped for air. Before he could collect himself, the blonde jumped on top of him and landed a blow square on his cheekbone. Now the world was spinning as shouting erupted around them. Before he could comprehend what was happening, hands started grabbing at his shirt as he was pulled across the floor.

Once he stopped moving, things started slowly coming back into focus. Guan Shan realized that part of the onlookers had stepped in to break up the fight and separated the two of them. Behind him, Cun Tou had pulled him out from under the larger man while three others struggled to hold Shen Jun back.

Abruptly, a seething voice rang out and caused everyone to freeze.

“HEY!” Looking at the stairs, he watched as She Li descended down to the main floor. Glaring at them dangerously, the anger in his booming voice made everyone panic. “What the _fuck_ is going on down here?”

As She Li walked up to them, the three men backed away from Shen Jun as fast as they could. At the same time, Cun Tou stood and extended his hand to Guan Shan. Helping him up, the shorter man whispered to him.

“Are you alright, boss?” The worry in the man’s voice kind of irked him. Did he really look that weak?

Annoyed, Guan Shan nodded and dismissed his concern as best he could.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine. Stop hovering like an old lady.” Standing up now, he dusted his clothes off and winced when he accidentally hit his sore rib. _That’s going to be a bitch later..._ Not to mention the dull throbbing coming from his face. He was positive he would have a black eye tomorrow. _Just fucking wonderful._

As She Li walked up to the group of them, Shen Jun stammered out a response.

“N-nothing is going on, She Li...” The blonde averted his eyes from the intensity of She Li’s glare. Guan Shan would have laughed at the idiot if he wasn’t just as nervous. Unfortunately, the silver-haired man now shifted his scrutiny from the blonde to him as he lazily sauntered over. Sliding an arm around his shoulder, She Li smirked as he felt him tense.

“Were you two ladies fighting over me?” Turning his head, She Li gave the small cut on Guan Shan's cheek a playful lick; the feel of his tongue on the sensitive skin sent a shiver down his spine. Without warning, the man's tone became serious again. “Shen Jun, get the fuck out back and finish cleaning up. I don’t have time to babysit.”

With his eyes wide, Shen Jun tried to argue.

“But boss! I-” The other man didn’t get to finish his thought before She Li released Guan Shan and got right up into the blonde’s face.

“No one likes a jealous bitch.” His tone was like a knife as it stabbed Shen Jun's pride.

Now, the sudden snickering from the surrounding group of men made the guy’s face turn bright red. Glancing around at the others, the blonde started yelling at them.

“Shut the fuck up! Do you want me to beat the shit out of you too!?” Guan Shan watched the man’s wild eyes dart around while he bared his teeth. With one last look his way, Shen Jun let out a small click of his tongue. “ _Tsk_. You’re not worth my time anyway.”

With that, the group dispersed almost as quickly as it had gathered. The only ones left were Cun Tou, Guan Shan, and She Li. As if reading his mind, the silver-haired man looked back and addressed him in a blasé tone.

“What are you still doing here. Didn’t I tell you to let yourself out?” Turning around, She Li casually walked back towards the stairs without a second glance.

 _What a douche bag._ Guan Shan wished he had the balls to say it, but in reality, he was on his last legs for tonight. With a groan of discomfort, he went to leave but stopped when he heard Cun Tou’s concerned voice.

“Boss! Are you sure you’re alright? Do you want me to help you home?” Although he knew the smaller man was just trying to be helpful, his overly doting personality was starting to rub him the wrong way.

“Will you just stop with the ‘boss’ thing!?” Guan Shan felt a pang of guilt when he saw his friend flinch. Softening his tone, he continued. “Look, Buzzcut, I didn’t mean to yell. Uh, what I meant to say was... you know... thanks. For uh, everything, but I’d really rather be alone right now.”

Man, why did he always sound lame as fuck? _Ugh_.

However, the other man didn’t seem to notice as he nodded his assent without argument. Thank fuck for small blessings.

With a bit of effort, he dragged himself through the front entrance and out to the street. As a gust of wind blew past him, Guan Shan braced himself against the cold of the early morning. Beginning his long trek back home, he scowled as he thought about everything that had happened. _Merry fucking Christmas..._


	4. The Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He Tian, Jian Yi, and Zhan Zheng Xi meet up to talk about Mo!

Jian Yi groaned with every bump the car hit. His hangover was making his head pound, and pinching the bridge of his nose did little to help with the dull throb. Turning to look at Zheng Xi, he whimpered his complaints in his usual childish tone.

“Zhan Xixi, why are we wasting our holiday time to visit that humbug He Tian?” When he woke up this morning - or more like this afternoon, Zheng Xi had a very serious look on his face.

Since Jian Yi couldn’t remember the night before, he silently hoped he hadn’t done anything stupid to upset the other man. Turns out, He Tian had texted to ask that they all meet up tonight about something pressing. Luckily, that meant he was in the clear for last night, but that also meant less alone time with Zheng Xi. _Damn you, He Tian. This better be good!_

Concentrating on driving, Zheng Xi just gave a simple answer in response.

“It seemed important.” The other man always took things at face value, so he was sure the guy didn't even question the dark-haired bastard. Poor Zheng Xi, such a beautiful soul who was always willing to help those in need. _And so handsome, too!_ Though he still felt like He Tian was just pulling their leg like always.

“Are you sure? If it was really serious, why would he have been all vague and mysterious? I swear if we show up and all he wanted was to hang out with someone because he’s lonely...”

The brunette gave him a quick look then shook his head, as if there could be no reason to doubt their friend.

“I don’t think that’s it. I mean, if he wanted to mess with someone, he would have just texted you instead of me.”

At that, Jian Yi stroked his chin while he thought that over; was he implying that He Tian only texted him to mess with him? Pursing his lips, he squinted at his best friend.

“I don’t know if I should be offended, or not?” To his surprise, when the car came to a stop at a red light, Zheng Xi reached out a hand to gently swipe a piece of hair back behind Jian Yi’s ear.

“Don’t overthink it or else your face is going to get stuck like that.” As the light turned green again, the brown-haired man turned his attention back to the road and left Jian Yi blushing. After a few seconds, he continued explaining. “I just think it’s weird he texted me about it instead of you. It makes me more inclined to believe he’s being serious.”

Now, Jian Yi let out a puff of air as he scoffed at the thought.

“ _Pfft!_ He Tian being serious? In your dreams.” Folding his arms over his chest, he turned his head to look out the window as they continued down the streets. There was only one thing that devil of a man cared about. “Do you think it’s about Redhead?”

The long silence that followed his question was all the affirmation he needed. Clearly, they were both thinking the same thing.

After a few minutes, the car started to slow down as they reached the entrance to He Tian’s building. Pulling up to the main entrance, they awkwardly handed the keys to the valet before heading up to his apartment. Despite spending plenty of time with He Tian’s family, Jian Yi still felt a little out of place with all this ritzy stuff. The staff must have told He Tian they were heading up because, by the time they reached his door, the guy whipped it open before they could even knock.

With a sly smile, He Tian started in with his typical teasing attitude.

“You look better than I thought you would, considering Zhan Zheng Xi said you got drunk off your ass last night.” The dark-haired man stepped aside to usher them in before closing the door. “I’m surprised you’re even willing to show your face after what you did.”

The bastard’s smirk made Jian Yi turn to Zheng Xi with a horrified expression. Reaching out, he grasped onto the other man’s jacket as he cried.

“What did you tell him, Zhan Xixi!?” The betrayal was heartfelt in his words. _Had he actually done something he couldn’t remember!?_

Gently, the brunette pulled Jian Yi’s hands from his clothes as he removed his jacket. As if the guy didn’t even notice his reaction, Zheng Xi calmly explained his side of the story.

“I only said you had too much to drink and passed out.”

He Tian’s chuckle caught his attention from the other room.

“Ah yes, a man of few words. It's a good thing I’m so amazing at reading between the lines~” The raven-haired man wiggled his eyebrows with a mischievous grin.

 _Damn bastard..._ Jian Yi should have realized the smartass was just messing with him.

“You’re such a jerk, you know that? This is why we’re your only friends! If other people knew the real you, they’d run the other way if they were smart!”

Making a face, He Tian quipped back right away.

“So... You’re saying you’re not smart?” Scowling, Jian Yi lifted the closest thing to him, which happened to be a pillow from the couch, and poised it over his head to throw it. Slowly, He Tian backed away with his hands up in mock surrender. “Hey, now! I didn't say it, you did! Right, Zhan Zheng Xi~”

The sing-song tone finally pushed Jian Yi over the edge, and he tossed the pillow straight at the other man's face.

“Don’t speak so casually to him, Zhan Xixi would never agree with the likes of you!” The playful arguing continued for a bit until the three men each took a seat around the living room. After letting things calm down for a while, he cleared his throat. “ _Ahem,_ sooooo... What was the super, crazy important ‘situation’ you dragged us here for?”

Unexpectedly, the question made He Tian’s whole demeanor change. _Maybe this actually was serious?_ Now, the dark-haired man sighed and rubbed his brow before speaking.

“It’s Little Mo.”

 _Knew it._ It didn’t surprise him, but at the same time, Jian Yi could only imagine the dumb shit those two were fighting about.

“Look, He Tian. So what if Redhead rejected you, he does that all the time! I’m surprised you would get so butthurt on just your first attempt since coming back-”

“He told me he’s with She Li.” The emotion in He Tian's voice was hard to read, and Jian Yi couldn’t hold back his surprise.

“Ewe, gross!” That was the last thing he expected to hear.

From his seat, Zheng Xi finally spoke up as well.

“So he’s fallen back in with that crowd?” The look on the brunette’s face seemed a little odd, but he didn't say anything more.

Burying his face in his hands, He Tian shook his head with a hollowed sigh.

“No, I mean he’s _with_ She Li... like in _that_ way.” Both of the other men’s jaws dropped at He Tian’s announcement.

“You’re joking!?” Jian Yi blurted out. There was no way that was true, not after everything they had done to get Mo away from that guy. “Does he have Stockholm syndrome or something?”

Leaning back in his chair, He Tian’s eyes grew dark as he muttered quietly.

“I honestly don’t know. Mo wouldn’t tell me anything.” Jian Yi watched the man start to fiddle with something on his finger as he continued. “And that’s not the part that had me worried.”

“Mo DATING She Li isn’t the part you’re concerned about?” Maybe He Tian hit his head or confused a dream for reality because he wasn’t making any sense. “Are you sure you’re understanding the whole situation? Maybe you misheard him?”

He Tian shot him a look that told him to shut up.

“I didn’t mishear him.” Standing now, the dark-haired man walked over to the window and stared out at the cityscape. “When I saw him last night, he was covered in cuts and bruises. He wouldn’t tell me where they came from or who did it. And I think he was hiding more serious injuries, too.”

Even from across the room, Jian Yi could hear the hurt in his words as he kept his back to them. He Tian liked to pretend he was indestructible, well the guy kind of was, but he did have one red-headed weakness.

“No offense He Tian, but you aren’t exactly an iron fist in a velvet glove with those types of situations. You’re more like an iron fist holding a knife to your throat that’s also on fire.”

He Tian turned to look at him with a heated expression.

“Do you have a death wish?”

Holding his hands up in a placating manner, he shook his head.

“No! I’m only saying that you’re not really delicate with your approaches. Maybe he was just being typical Mo, you know? Like he was only saying something to make you mad?”

Though it was unlikely, nobody disagreed because the alternative was just too crazy. When no one said anything, He Tian turned to Zheng Xi.

“That’s actually why I asked to talk to you guys tonight. Mainly, I wanted to know if either of you have spoken to Mo recently. I was also wondering if Zhan Zheng Xi could tell me about what happened while the two of us were gone.”

The expectant eyes of the taller man silently pleaded with them. As usual, Jian Yi spoke first.

“I haven’t talked to him since we left...” Averting his gaze down to his lap, he was embarrassed to admit it. Since he had been so focused on making up for lost time with Zheng Xi, he hadn’t even given anyone else a second thought. Turning to the quiet man next to him, he sheepishly whispered. “What about you?”

Giving it some serious thought, Zheng Xi took his time before answering.

“Well, I haven’t spoken to him recently, no. Though we did talk for a while after you two disappeared.” He Tian moved back to the chair now, never taking his eyes from Zheng Xi as he continued. “At first, we were both shocked and worried. But as time went on, we sort of drifted apart.”

This time He Tian tried making light of the situation.

“I can imagine it’s hard to hold a conversation when you're both so awkward.” Despite the playful smile, it was obvious the humor didn’t reach his eyes. Yet, the brunette ignored the jab.

“It wasn’t really because of that. Like you could tell he was upset, but he would do the usual ‘pretend he didn't care’ act when I would see him at school. Then one day, something seemed to change.”

At that, the other man’s eyes narrowed behind his bangs as he spoke in a dark tone.

“Was that about six months or so after we left?” The guy's expression gave Jian Yi chills. _Definitely don’t want to get on his bad side_.

Frowning, Zheng Xi shook his head.

“No, I don't think so? It was more like three or four months, why?”

He Tian waved his hand to dismiss the question.

“Not important. So, what happened around the time things had changed?”

Furrowing his brows, the brunette thought it over.

“It was weird; he started missing a lot of school, but none of the teachers ever mentioned it. He pretty much would only show up for important days, and when he was there it was like he was super out of it. I tried talking to him, but he would just ignore me or get angry.” He Tian was scrutinizing his every word. It was like the man was looking for a hidden answer to some unsolvable puzzle. Zheng Xi continued. “Though now that you mention it, it was around six months after you guys had been gone that Mo disappeared, too.”

“What!?” Jian Yi interrupted him this time, unable to hold in his surprise. “What do you mean disappeared, too?”

The serious man nodded.

“Yeah, he completely vanished for about a month. I even went to his house to speak with Auntie, but she told me that he hadn’t been home. I thought it was weird that she didn’t seem too worried. Like she knew something, but wouldn’t say. Then one day out of the blue, he showed back up at school and started coming regularly. But he acted weird.”

“Weird how?” He Tian’s voice sounded strained, like he was holding back his emotions.

“I can’t really explain it. He just didn’t talk to anyone, and the second school was over he would run off. Once the school year ended, it was like he dropped off the face of the Earth.”

Suddenly, Jian Yi perked up.

“Oh, oh! I have an idea!” Pulling his phone out of his pants pocket, he started typing furiously. “I’ll text him to see if Zhan Xixi and I can meet up with him tomorrow. But you can’t come He Tian or you’ll blow it; you’re too handsy with Mo, and we don’t want to spook him.”

The dark-haired man gave him the finger but sat back in his chair without further complaint. Quickly, Jian Yi typed out his message and hit send.

_Jian Yi: ‘Redhead!!! Come meet Zhan Zheng Xi and me for lunch tomorrow! Let us celebrate my amazing return!’_

It felt like they were waiting for years until the phone finally buzzed, making Jian Yi jump. Heart racing, he read the reply to himself and frowned.

_Mo: ‘Wrong number.’_

When He Tian spoke, it startled him.

“Why do you look like you just ate a sour melon?”

Feeling offended, Jian Yi bit back.

“Why do you always look like a constipated old man?” The pillow that flew straight for his head narrowly missed as he ducked down. Unfortunately, that meant Zheng Xi got a face full of pillow instead... “Again, this is why you have no friends!”

Abruptly, the loud growl that came from his stomach interrupted the banter. Since Jian Yi had slept so late, they hadn’t had time to eat before coming over. Thankfully, the other two men decided to go to the kitchen to order some food and left him in the living room to work his magic. Turning his attention back to his phone, he replied to Mo’s message.

_Jian Yi: ‘Don’t lie. I know this is still your number. Come on, let’s have fun!”_

The long wait before the next text made him think he may actually have the wrong number. Though the response definitely came from Mo.

_Mo: ‘Can’t. I’ve got work.’_

_Jian Yi: ‘You work at a restaurant, right?_ _So,_ _you work nights. We can make it a breakfast hangout!’_

_Mo: ‘Did that bastard He Tian put you up to this, or has Zhan Zheng Serious finally gotten sick of your bullshit and now you’re bothering me?’_

Pursing his lips, he thought his response over carefully.

_Jian Yi: ‘I’ve missed seeing your ugly mug, and I want to catch up! Haven’t you at least missed me since I’ve been gone!?’_

_Mo: ‘Sounds like your own problem. Fuck off.’_

Frowning, Jian Yi turned to hang over the back of the couch as he shouted to the other men in the kitchen.

“Hey, He Tian! Do you know where Mo lives?” The smile on the taller man’s face told him that he did, in fact, know such information. _That’s much easier!_

_Jian Yi: ‘If you won’t come to us, then we will come to you!’_

_Mo: ‘You don’t know where I live.’_

_Jian Yi: ‘He Tian told me.’_

There was a long pause before the next reply came through.

_Mo: ‘If you dickwads show up to my place tomorrow, I’m calling the cops and reporting you for harassment!’_

_Jian Yi: ‘We’ll see you at 8am sharp!’_

Putting his phone away, Jian Yi hopped up from the couch and joined the others in the kitchen.

“Mission successful! We’re gonna meet Mo at his place tomorrow morning.” He exclaimed with a beaming smile on his face.

With raised eyebrows, He Tian looked skeptical.

“He actually invited you over?”

Scoffing, he waved his hand.

“Oh, absolutely not! We’re just going to show up and hope he doesn’t actually call the police.”

“Police?” Zheng Xi furrowed his brows.

With a shrug, Jian Yi dismissed his friend’s concern.

“ _Meh,_ don’t worry about it. Just Mo being Mo.”

Though honestly, he really did want tomorrow to go well. If anything, he hoped He Tian was just overreacting, but he had a gut feeling that wasn’t the case...

* * *

After Guan Shan had returned home from She Li’s, he had taken a quick shower to get all the sweat and grime off his body. Drying off he took some time to clean his face and inspect his side. Wincing, the throbbing from his rib hurt even more now that his adrenaline had subsided. The only relief he got was by wrapping his chest tightly, but he was too tired to do much else. Luckily, it didn’t take long to pass out once his head hit the pillow.

He wasn’t sure how long he had been asleep when his phone buzzed near his head. Groggy, he reached for the device to see what time it was. _Damn it, 8:47pm._ With a groan, he rubbed his eyes. He hated it when he slept all day, it was such a waste.

Staring at his phone, the notification at the top caught his attention, and his stomach dropped as the thought of She Li flashed in his mind. To his relief, it was only a text message from that airhead Jian Yi. He knew he should have changed his number... Why the hell would that guy suddenly want to meet up after all this time? Despite doing his best to deflect the blonde's invasiveness, the idiot just ignored his warnings as usual. Even more suspicious, it seemed like the guy was scheming something with He Tian. Couldn’t those bastards just leave him alone?

Putting his phone away, Guan Shan restlessly rolled over in his bed. Since he had slept pretty much the whole day, he laid awake for a while despite needing to rest up before work. By the time he did fall back asleep, his alarm had gone off shortly after. _Just great._ And to make things even more annoying, he had decided to drag himself out of bed extra early. Though he was fucking exhausted, he wanted to leave his apartment before those two idiots showed up. Rushing to gather his stuff, he got dressed in record time. When he glanced at his phone, he saw that he only had fifteen minutes to spare. _Better hurry._

Unfortunately, his stomach sank like a rock when he opened the door and saw the morons standing at the entranceway. Jian Yi’s face was stuck in wide-eyed surprised, and his hand was poised to knock. _Fuck!_ Quickly slamming the door shut, he heard the blonde-haired man start pounding on the metal while shouting.

“HEY! Were you trying to sneak away before we got here!? How rude!” Loud banging resounded throughout the room again.

Losing his temper, Guan Shan shouted back at the man through the closed door.

“Quit making a scene and scram! I told you not to come!” If the dumbass didn’t quiet down, his neighbors were going to get pissed.

“Don’t be like that! We brought coffee and steamed buns!” More banging sounded. _This guy was relentless._

Reaching his boiling point, he swung open the door and grabbed the blonde by the collar of his shirt to drag him inside. With a scowl, he berated the smaller man.

“Do you ever shut up!? How is it possible for someone to be this annoying?” Letting him go, the other man straightened his shirt and pouted.

“Be gentle, this is a new shirt and now it’s all wrinkled!” As Jian Yi continued to pat his shirt down, Zhan Zheng Xi had made his way inside and shut the door behind him. The brunette held a tray with three coffees in one hand and a brown bag in the other. _Guess they really did bring food._

Given its size, the apartment felt cramped with all three men inside. Yet, the other two didn’t seem too perturbed. Making himself at home, Jian Yi flopped onto his bed.

“Wow, this place really is small, huh?” The blonde started rummaging through the things on his bedside table. Walking over, Guan Shan slapped the stuff out of his hand.

“Don’t touch. Didn’t anyone teach you manners?”

Making a face, Jian Yi laughed.

“That’s rich, coming from you!” Though when the smaller man looked up, his expression changed to concern. “Woah, what happened to your eye?”

“My eye?” Confused, Guan Shan reached up to his face and winced at the dull pain that radiated from the touch. Since he didn’t have a mirror in his apartment, he had honestly forgotten all about it. It was probably dark purple by now. “It’s none of your business.”

Quickly, he turned away to keep his black eye hidden from their view. Of course, that only opened him up for more scrutiny from the man lying on his bed.

“Dude, is that a giant hickey on your neck, or did you lose a fight with a vacuum cleaner!?”

Slamming his hand over the mark on his neck, Guan Shan stammered.

“F-fuck off!” His face flushed as he panicked. “I don’t have to answer to you! Why the fuck did you guys come here anyway?”

Surprised, Jian Yi stood from the bed now and looked at him with his hands up in a placating manner.

“Hey, I’m not accusing you of anything. Honest! I was just caught off guard is all. We really only came here to have some breakfast and catch up.”

Not buying it, Guan Shan’s panic turned to anger.

“I’m not interested in catching up and wasting my time ‘playing’ friends. I know He Tian put you up to this, and I’m going to tell you the same thing I told him; mind your own fucking business and leave me the fuck alone!”

Rather than subjecting himself to more of their judgment, he decided it was better to just leave. Without giving the other men a chance to explain, he stomped his way to the door and practically ripped it off its hinges. Not looking back, he didn’t catch Jian Yi's last words as he slammed the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a blast writing this chapter, and the banter between the boys was making me laugh to myself haha. But I can't wait to write the next two chapters! Next chapter is going to be a crazy ANGSTY ride followed by a hot, smutty flashback chapter. I hope you're ready!
> 
> Thanks for reading, I love knowing that people are enjoying this 😊


	5. One More Couldn't Hurt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mo has a string of bad luck and makes even worse decisions. He Tian manages to swoop in to take care of the aftermath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a long one. I apologize in advance!

Guan Shan didn't look back as he practically ran from his apartment hoping to prevent the two men from following him. Satisfied that he had put enough distance between them, he slowed his pace. It was still relatively early, and he had a few hours to kill before his afternoon shift started. Pulling a pack of cigarettes from his pants pocket, he shook one from the carton and brought it to his lips. Being so on edge lately, he hoped smoking would quell some of his jitters. Unfortunately, the first drag combined with the chilly air and caused a coughing fit, which only agitated his injuries.

“ _Cough_ – Fuck – _cough, cough_!” Holding his side, he waited for the spasms to stop before he dared to take a few deep breaths. Bracing against the alleyway wall, he thought about how miserable he probably looked. Thankfully no one was around, so he took a moment to relax before finishing his cigarette.

Flicking the butt into the trash, he grimaced when his stomach let out a loud growl. Come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten anything substantial since his last shift. When he pulled out his wallet to count the money he had on him, he frowned. Being that it was the end of the month, his funds were tight and even more so since he left money for He Tian's taxi. Now, he wished he had at least taken a steamed bun...

With his hands stuffed into his pockets, he left the alley to continue his trek down the street. As he passed through the early morning crowds, he watched people go out of their way to avoid him; not only did they divert their eyes, but some would even cross the street to make sure they didn’t cross paths with him. Maybe Jian Yi was right about how he looked?

Considering he wanted to avoid his apartment, he decided to stop at a convenience store to grab a few things. Knowing exactly what isles to look in, he quickly found the Band-Aids and a few energy bars to hold him over. After having an awkward exchange with the cashier, he figured it would be better not to linger more than he had to. Taking his bag of stuff, he found the nearest subway entrance and went straight to the closest bathroom.

Checking the stalls to make sure he was alone, he set the bag on the counter and took a long, hard look at himself in the mirror. It was the first chance he had gotten to see what he looked like in a while, and he glared at the person staring back at him. Scrutinizing the reflection, he traced over the bruise that had settled on his cheekbone and circled his lower eye. Grateful it wasn’t as bad as he had anticipated, he was able to cover the worst of it with a small butterfly bandage. Next, he turned his head to the side to reveal the large hickey on his neck.

“ _Ugh!_ Why the fuck does that bastard have to be so disgusting!?” Desperate to disperse the dark coloration a little, he tried to rub it in with his thumb but sighed when it made no difference. No wonder Jian Yi called him out on it, it looked awful.

Pulling out a large square bandage, he covered it as best he could. Even with the worst of the bruises hidden, there were still a few smaller marks that peppered his neck and collarbone area. He thought about covering those too, but in the end, it looked worse having a bunch of Band-Aids on his neck; as if he was trying too hard to seem inconspicuous. Finished with his ministrations, he took another look at himself. Better, but still a mess if he was being honest. The deep lines and dark circles under his eyes were like a flashing sign, one that screamed his exhaustion to everyone that looked. What the fuck was he even doing with his life anymore?

All he did was wakeup, go to work, come home and go to bed. Any free time he had was spent with that bastard She Li, so there was little to no downtime for him to just relax. Though he had to admit that having nothing to do sucked just as much. When he wasn’t busy or too tired to think, he was plagued by dangerous thoughts. Even worse, every damn time he closed his eyes, the memory of He Tian...

Suddenly, the bathroom door opened with a creak, and Guan Shan was startled from his thoughts. Seeing the stranger staring at him like he was a weirdo, he grabbed his bag of stuff and quickly left the restroom. It was just about time for his shift anyway. Since he didn’t want to risk going home for his scooter, he decided to take the subway instead. Fortunately, it was a quick ride by train, and he got to work sooner than he thought.

Now as he stood outside the restaurant, he watched the lunch crowd start to gather. Though he was scheduled for a 1:30pm to close shift tonight, he hoped his boss would let him clock in early since it seemed busy. Not wanting to waste more time, he ducked inside and dashed towards the backroom. At his locker, he began to put his stuff away when a sudden voice from behind surprised him.

“Mo Guan Shan...” Turning around, he saw the small-framed figure of his boss as she stood in the doorway. She was an older woman with grey hair who owned the restaurant with her husband. “Can I speak with you in my office?”

The feeling of dread rose as his heart sank in his chest, and he couldn’t stop his slight stutter.

“O-Oh, yeah. Sure.” Following behind her, Guan Shan walked into the small room and took the seat across from her desk. Nervous, he started rambling. “I know I’m early, and I was only getting ready. If you don’t have the overtime available, I won’t clock in-”

Shaking her head, the older woman interrupted him.

“Oh no, no. It’s not about that at all!” At that, the knot in his stomach loosened a bit. Then her face turned more serious, and she gave him a pitying look. “It’s actually about your uh... _appearance_.”

The way she phrased it made him frown. Playing with the hem of his shirt, he listened as she explained.

“Don’t take this the wrong way; you’re one of our best workers, and we love having you here.” Shifting forward in her seat, the older woman reached out and placed her hand on his knee. “I won’t ask what happened, but we can’t have you working around customers all marked up like that.”

 _Fuck_. His mind started racing, looking for anything to say.

“Boss, I’m so sorry! I-I’ll work out back and keep out of the dining area. Anything you need me to do, I’ll do it!”

The sympathy in her eyes made Guan Shan uncomfortable, and he tried his best not to fidget while she kept talking.

“We don’t need help out back at the moment.” Shuffling some of the papers on her desk, she cleared her throat. “We were going to give you some time off after the holidays as a thank you, considering the amount of overtime you’ve been working for us. Though given the circumstances, I think you should take it early and come back once all _that_ has cleared up.”

“B-but!” Seeing her expression, he let his argument fizzle out. What could he even say to her? _‘Sorry my asshole fuck buddy left a bunch of hickeys on me; I’ll be sure to tell him not to be a jealous fuck next time_.’ _Ugh!_

As she stood, the older woman placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t take this personally. We look forward to having you back, so please enjoy your break.” Now the older woman moved to the doorway and held it open for him.

Keeping his eyes low as he passed her, he left the office and went to gather his stuff. Leaving through the back door, he was explosive as he stomped down the street. Though he was mad, he knew it was his own fault; the owners were always very fair to him. He was lucky that it was a such good place to work, and they never asked him questions no matter what was going on. Which also meant he felt awful knowing he put them in this position, especially during the busy holidays. What the fuck was he going to do now?

Twenty minutes hadn’t even passed before he felt his phone vibrate. Pulling it out, the anger in him boiled to the surface again as he read the text.

_She Li: ‘Heard you don’t have work today. How about you come to the club?’_

Guan Shan figured She Li would have his thugs keeping an eye on him because of He Tian, but he didn’t think they would follow him to work too.

_Mo: ‘Fuck off! Your psychotic bullshit is the reason I can’t fucking work.’_

_She Li: ‘Don’t be that way, Little Mo. You know I could always give you a job here at the club. And then it wouldn’t matter what we did.’_

A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of working for that snake every day.

_Mo: ‘I’d rather be homeless and starving before I worked for you.’_

_She Li: ‘So feisty~ That’s what I love the most about you.’_

Reading the reply, he gagged at the words. No doubt the man had a sleazy grin on his face as he wrote it. Suddenly, his phone buzzed again.

_She Li: ‘If you get bored, you know where to find me. I’ll even let you have drinks on the house tonight as my apology.’_

It was a struggle to keep from throwing his phone into the nearest river. Instead, he settled for turning it off as he needed time to calm down. If he could, he would shove his foot so far up that man's ass, he'd feel it for the rest of his life.

* * *

He Tian felt restless as he paced around his apartment. Ever since they had decided on the plan last night, his nerves were on edge. He hated not being able to go with them, but Jian Yi was right; it was probably better for him to stay behind for the time being. Glancing at his watch, he grumbled at how late it had gotten. Already past noon, the other two men were supposed to have come back by now. Frustrated, the more time that passed, the tenser he became.

Just as he was about to leave to find them himself, he got a text.

_Zheng Xi: ‘We’re coming up now.’_

Odd that it was the brunette who messaged him and not Jian Yi... _Whatever_. He was just relieved to finally have some news. Hearing a knock on the door, he quickly made his way over to let them both in. Immediately, he could tell by the puppy dog look on the blonde’s face that something went wrong. Frowning, he didn't wait for the excuses.

“Don’t tell me you did something stupid.” He Tian stared down at the smaller man, who was now positioning Zheng Xi in front of him like a barrier.

“No! I swear!” Jian Yi wailed.

Now the brunette rolled his eyes.

“Jian Yi embarrassed Mo, and he stormed out of the apartment. Then we lost him.”

At the guy's words, the blonde’s face twisted in horror.

“Zhan Xixi, how could you betray me like this! I thought we were best friends!?”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, He Tian was losing his patience.

“We can deal with semantics later. What exactly happened? Did you at least manage to get something out of him?” The silence that greeted him was expected, but the looks shared between the two men were not.

Seeming to think about his words carefully, Jian Yi attempted to explain.

“Well, you see... Once we got there, everything was fine until I noticed he had a black eye.” He Tian scowled at the new development since he last saw Mo, but let the other man continue without interruption. “But then... I mean, I know you told us that Redhead and She Li were together and all...”

Now the blonde averted his eyes. Unable to finish, Zheng Xi stepped in instead.

“When he saw all the hickeys on Mo’s neck, he blurted out something insensitive.”

Immediately, Jian Yi gripped the other man’s arm and cried out.

“You know I didn’t mean it! I was just surprised, that's all! I didn’t think they were like... _doing it_.”

Now, the brunette looked at his friend with a deadpan expression.

“What’s your definition of ‘together,’ then?”

Slapping his arm, the blonde got defensive.

“Shut up! She Li is so gross that I didn’t want to think about it!”

During the whole exchange between the other two men, He Tian had stood silently. Keeping his eyes covered with his bangs, he was fuming. Of course, he had thought about the possibility that Mo was sleeping with that bastard. But in all honesty, he had dismissed the thought because it was too painful. Now, he was face to face with proof of his worst nightmare. Without a word, he went to grab his coat by the door, but stopped when Jian Yi called after him.

“Hey, wait! Where are you going?”

Looking over at the two men, he gave a short reply.

“I’m going to find Little Mo. You can stay if you want, but I don’t want to take up your holiday time.”

Bitting his bottom lip, the blonde man looked to him with worry etched on his features.

“What are you going to do if you find him?” The unspoken, _‘if you find him_ _with_ _She Li,_ ’ rang out clear as day.

Turning towards the door, He Tian spoke without looking back.

“I’m not going to do anything right now. I just want to talk to Mo first.” Not giving them another chance to stop him, he left the apartment.

* * *

Guan Shan had roamed around the city for a while after he left the restaurant. Given his lack of money and the fact he couldn't go back to his place, he ended up hanging out in a park for a while. However, that hadn’t lasted long. While sitting on a bench, other people would walk by and throw him dirty looks like he was some kind of delinquent. He was already depressed about his shitty day, and their dumbass glances only made it worse.

Eventually, he gave up and found himself outside of _‘The Devil’s House.’_ As much as he hated it here, at least he could hang around without anyone judging him. After all, the place attracted all kinds of lowlifes. He also figured it would be the best place to hide from those three idiots. So now, here he sat, three shots in and alone at the bar. _How fucking pathetic._

Thankfully, he hadn’t seen any sign of She Li or his gaggle of jerks. Instead, he’d been able to sulk quietly at the bar without much hassle. He wasn’t a big drinker; to him, it always felt like a waste of money when he had other stuff to worry about. However, if She Li wanted to offer free drinks, who was he to say no? Might as well take advantage of it now that he was here. Irritatingly, since he hadn’t eaten much, the shots went straight to his head. Taking a break from the drinks, he had been sitting there for a while trying to let the buzz fade some.

Though soon enough, he felt someone sidle up into the seat next to him. Looking over, he glowered at the silver-haired man in annoyance. With a smile, She Li teased him in his usual condescending tone.

“I’m glad to see you changed your mind. Enjoying the bar at least?”

Flashing his teeth and a quick middle finger, Guan Shan spat back.

“Fuck off. I’m not in the mood tonight. Go bother someone else for once.” Resting his head on his hand now, he tried to seem nonchalant. To his dismay, She Li saw right through him. With a grin, his yellow eyes narrowed as he tapped twice on the counter for the barman.

“Bring over two double shots of vodka.” The silver-haired man called out.

Looking at him with wide-eyes, Guan Shan tried deflecting.

“N-nah, man. I’m good.” Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy. When the barman placed the two shots in front of She Li, the other man slid one to him and smirked.

“You never loosen up~ What’s so wrong with wanting to have a little fun with my favorite firecracker?” Now his expression turned darker as he leaned in. “Take it.”

Feeling his heart rate spike, he searched for an excuse but couldn’t think of any. With shaky fingers, he took the shot from She L’s hand. Despite his trepidation, he figured there wasn’t much harm that could be done if he took it; it wasn’t like he had work tomorrow... Watching She Li raise his own glass to his lips, he mirrored the other man's movements. Together, they both downed the shots, and his face scrunched at the burning taste.

The mocking chuckle from the larger man pulled his attention again.

“Such a cute reaction~” She Li went to reach forward, but Guan Shan slapped the hand away from his face.

“Get the fuck out of here.” He hated when the bastard pretended to like him. “You’re not fooling anyone.”

Now the other man’s face twisted to its usual sinister grin.

“Who says I’m trying to fool you? I only want us to have some fun tonight~” It was obvious the bastard wanted something. However, the fuzziness that began settling over his mind had him pushing the thought down. _Whatever_. He was in such a bad mood that he didn’t really care what might happen tonight. If he loosened up, maybe he would actually end up enjoying himself for once?

* * *

Guan Shan wasn’t sure how long he’d been at the club, but the night was starting to blur together at this point. It seemed like with every shot he took, the little voice in his head telling him it was a bad idea got quieter. _Good. That guy was annoying._

Though now that he was sufficiently drunk, he knew he should probably stop soon. She Li had left at some point to take care of... What was She Li doing again? As quickly as the thought had entered his mind, it had slipped away just as fast. With a groan, he closed his eyes and rubbed his temple. Man, he couldn’t even think straight anymore. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he cursed as it slipped from his hands and fell to the floor.

“Awww, fuck.” Standing, he stumbled a bit and had to catch himself on the bar. Once his vision settled, he bent down to get his phone. _Why the fuck was this so hard?_ After retrieving it, he was surprised to see that bastard Shen Jun was now next to him.

Without thinking, Guan Shan’s mouth started running before his brain could catch up.

“And whatha-fuck d'you want?” He was briefly aware that his words kind of melded together, and he made a mental note to not do that shit again.

“Feeling good, Little Mo?” Shen Jun smirked. This guy really got on his nerves.

“Feelin’ better than you, m’sure. Given how badly She Li embarrassed the shit outta you.” Guan Shan mentally praised himself for sounding normal, and his attitude clearly irked the other man. _Bonus points._ Sadly, the blonde seemed to recover quickly, and now he held out a small drink to him.

“Here. I just wanted to share a peace offering with you, so we can put the other day behind us. You know, water under the bridge and all.”

Suspiciously, that bastard never did shit like this. _He had to be up to something._ Staring straight ahead, Guan Shan mumbled under his breath.

“You can shove that _‘peace offering’_ straight-up yer'ass.”

Unexpectedly, Shen Jun let out a loud laugh.

“Whatever, man. Sulk all you want. I’ll leave this here in case you change your mind.” Sliding the drink his way, the other man tapped the rim. “This is top-shelf stuff, not that someone as poor as you would know. You shouldn’t waste it.”

Watching as the blonde walked away, and he could feel his anger swell.

“That chicken dick!” He lost steam pretty quickly though as his thoughts swam sluggishly in his head. He didn’t have the energy to deal with another fight tonight. Alone now, his eyes wandered back to the small drink Shen Jun left behind. The voice in his head told him to leave it, but his hand reached out to grab the glass anyway.

“ _Pfft!_ Top-shelf, huh?” _As if that guy would know the difference himself!_

Holding the glass to his lips, the smell was strong enough to make him wrinkle his nose. He knew he shouldn’t, but he was already drunk enough that one more wouldn’t change much... Laughing, he realized he was using drunk logic, but he could care less. Throwing the drink back, he grimaced at the terrible bitterness.

“ _Bleh_ , top-shelf m’ass! Whadda liar...” Wiping his mouth, he suddenly remembered what he was doing before that blonde-haired jerk showed up. “O’ya! M’phone."

Briefly checking his pockets, his heart skipped a beat when he couldn’t find it right away. That is, until he saw it sitting on the counter in front of him. Maybe he was drunker than he thought? Checking the time, he had to focus hard on the tiny numbers as they swirled in front of him. Eventually, he was able to make out that it was only about 9pm, _ish_ _?_ It was honestly hard to tell. Feeling a bolt of heat, he decided to get some fresh air to help clear his head. However, standing this time was a completely different story. In a rush, the whole place teetered around him, and he closed his eyes while he held onto the bar with a death grip. It felt like all the drinks were finally catching up to him now.

“You good?” Looking up, Guan Shan saw the barman give him a worried glance. Waving away the other man’s concern, he slurred his response a little more than he had meant to.

“M’fine... Mind y’own business.” Feeling a little more settled, he finally let go of the bar and headed towards the exit. It seemed like the more he moved, the more his vision swam, and he cursed himself for being such a dumbass. This was the downside to drinking; he hated feeling out of control.

Finally managing to stumble his way outside, the chilly air felt good on his face. Using the wall to keep himself balanced, he made his way down the street and to the side alley next to the building. Leaning back onto the cool bricks, he fumbled in his pocket for his cigarettes. Embarrassingly, it took him much longer to find them than he would like to admit. Even worse, he couldn’t get his dumb fingers to work properly, and he ended up dropping the damn lighter.

“Fuck.” Right into a puddle...

Just then, a sudden commotion at the entrance of the alley caught his attention. It looked like a bunch of women were surrounding a tall figure and kept giggling. Straining his eyes, his mouth hung open when he realized who it was.

_He Tian?_

* * *

He Tian had been looking for Mo for hours. First, he had stopped by the guy's place, though he knew it was a long shot. Just as he figured, the redhead hadn’t been back since Jian Yi and Zhan Zheng Xi had visited him that morning. Moving on, he had made his way to Mo's work, hoping to catch the other man there. Much to his disappointment, there was no sign of the redhead anywhere. After questioning some of the wait staff, he learned that Mo had shown up but abruptly left shortly after.

So that was strike two...

The only other thing he could think of was that Mo had to be with _him_. Unfortunately, He Tian had no idea where that creep’s new den was. With reluctance, he ended up calling his brother to get some information. After about an hour, He Cheng texted him the name of a club: _‘The Devil’s House.’_ Wasting no time, he drove straight over and found the building that housed the snake. Not knowing anything about the place, he wasn’t planning to go inside, but he was going to watch the area a little. Mainly, he needed to find Mo, but he also hoped to gather any useful information for later. 

Though to his annoyance, no matter where he went, he always attracted unwanted attention. Currently, he was fending off a group of women all trying to get his number.

“Really I’m flattered, but I’m currently seeing someone.” He lied through his award-winning smile, but to be fair, it wasn't _exactly_ a lie.

Yet, the chorus of whines was suddenly interrupted by a whirlwind of movement. Someone pushed their way through the crowd, and He Tian was dumbfounded when the redhead stood before him.

“Little Mo?” The confusion in his voice was evident, but the relief at having finally found him safe was overwhelming. Leave it to him to stumble upon the guy when he least expected it.

Without a word, Mo lunged for his arm and started to drag him into the alley; much to the complaints of the few women who were left behind. As they continued down the alleyway, the smaller man was unsteady on his feet as he kept glancing around. He couldn’t place his finger on it, but the redhead seemed off somehow? Eventually, he forced the other man to stop when he pulled his arm free from the guy's grasp.

“Little Mo, will you slow down for a second?”

Whipping around, the redhead groaned as he shut his eyes. Using the wall as support, Mo stuck his finger into He Tian’s chest as he berated him.

“Are you’ah fuckin’ IDIOT!?” The slight slur to his words made the anger sound muted. “Why’d you c’mere! Whadd’if _he_ saw you!?”

Now that they had stopped walking, He Tian looked at him more carefully; the slight waver in his stance, the flush of his face, and the inability to focus were all telltale signs.

“Are you drunk?” He genuinely wasn’t expecting that.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Mo tried his best to maintain a serious attitude.

“S’whadd-if I am?” Frowning now, the redhead looked like he was struggling to remain upright. “Y’can fuck-off! I’ll do whadd-ah want.”

He Tian had to suppress a small grin. He had never seen this side of Mo before and it really tickled him. _How cute~_ Snapping out of it, he shook his head.

“That’s not what I meant. I just... ah, never mind.” It wasn’t worth trying to talk to him while he was in this state. It was clear he wouldn’t remember much by tomorrow, anyway. Suddenly, the thought of Mo wandering the streets like this made his stomach clench. He needed to make sure he got home safe; they could talk another time. “Come on, let’s get you home. Seems like you’ve had plenty of fun tonight.”

Moving to reach for Mo’s arm, the redhead tried to dodge his grip but only managed to stumble backward. With quick movements, He Tian caught the smaller man and easily supported his weight. 

"Hey! Lemme go!" Mo was unusually weak as he struggled against his hold. Closer now, he noticed that the other man’s eyes were dilated, and he was looking worse by the second. _Something wasn't right._

“Little Mo, did you take anything other than just drinking alcohol tonight? I won’t judge you if you did, but I need to know.”

“Wha...?” Confusion twisted the redhead’s features as he thought about the question. Then the color drained from his face. “He Tian... I don’ feel s’good...”

Realizing what that meant, he barely managed to turn Mo the other way before the guy started vomiting. Holding him tightly, He Tian slowly lowered the redhead down onto his knees as he continued retching. Feeling guilty, he could only watch as the guy choked on his own vomit. Crouched down next to the other man, he began rubbing slow circles on Mo's back while he patiently waited for him to get everything out of his system. To his relief, even the dry heaving had finally subsided after a few minutes, and now Mo was left a trembling mess. Continuing to rub some warmth into the smaller man's shivering frame, the two of them remained in that position for a while until He Tian finally broke the silence.

“Do you feel better?” Still gently rubbing, he used his other hand to brush the sweaty fringe back from Mo’s forehead. Unable to stay upright, the smaller man unceremoniously slumped against the dirty brick wall of the ally. Sitting there, the poor guy used the back of his hand to sloppily wipe the drool from his mouth as he groaned.

 _“Nngh.”_ He Tian wasn’t sure if that was a yes or a no, but he didn’t think Mo knew either. Just looking at the state of the redhead made him sad; his pale skin highlighted his bruises and the exhaustion in his face was painful to look at. With such a rough night, he knew the guy was going to have an even worse morning.

“Do you think you can stand?” The slight nod from the other man was encouraging, so he positioned his hands under the redhead’s arms. Bracing himself, he gradually lifted Mo to his feet. Holding him there, he waited for the other man to open his eyes before shifting his weight. “Let’s get you home.”

The shaky hand that gripped his shirt stopped him.

“Nnn-no.” With his head lolling onto He Tian's shoulder, the weariness in Mo's voice was evident as he fought to express himself. “She Li... s’you.”

Sighing, He Tian reassured him.

“Don’t worry. I'll take you to my place then.”

It was a good thing he had decided to bring his car earlier, and even better that he hadn’t parked too far. Despite that, it was still a struggle to get the other man to walk properly, and he practically had to drag him there. After getting the other man situated in the passenger seat, he grabbed a spare bag from the back and made sure Mo knew to use it. Thankfully, the guy had remained quiet for most of the ride, except for another short bout of dry heaving. Much to his relief, the rest of the ride was uneventful.

Unfortunately, bringing Mo inside was a little more difficult. The only consolidation was that the other man had sobered a bit after throwing up so much. Yet, maneuvering him was still like dragging a sopping wet sandbag on the beach. Getting them both through the door, he decided it would be best to lay the guy on the bed instead of the couch. He didn’t want him to drunkenly roll off the sofa and hurt himself. 

Letting Mo sprawl out across the bed, He Tian saw how dirty his pants had gotten from kneeling in the alleyway. Without thinking, he swiftly removed the other man's shoes and slid off his jeans. Staring at the redhead's bare legs, he could see marks all across the skin not covered by his underwear. Not only were his knees badly bruised, but he also had more hickeys and cuts around his inner thighs. He could also just about make out five finger shaped bruises on his hips... Not wanting to extrapolate on that thought at the moment, he covered Mo with his comforter.

Next, he went to get a bucket and some water from the kitchen. Placing the things next to the bed, he sat down with a damp cloth in hand. Gently wiping the hair back from Mo's forehead, he was surprised when the other man’s eyes fluttered open.

“He... Tian?” The redhead seemed confused, and it was incredibly hard for He Tian to resist kissing him. _How was it possible for him to be so cute all the time?_

“You should get some rest. I’m going to go-”

The _‘sleep on the couch’_ part of his sentence caught in his throat as the other man gripped his shirt sleeve. Staring up at him, Mo’s eyes were hazy and unfocused as he muttered.

“Please... don’ leave again...” The hurt in the smaller man's voice made his heart ache. He knew the redhead would never say this to him if he was clear-minded, but he was glad to be offered such a rare glimpse of honesty.

“I’ll stay, if that’s what Brother Mo wants.” He would humor Mo until he fell asleep, but he knew better than to be caught next to him in the morning.

Rolling the other man onto his side, He Tian climbed into bed next to him. To his surprise, the redhead ended up scooting over until his back came flush against He Tian’s chest. Overwhelmed by the proximity, he couldn’t stop himself this time, and he lightly placed a kiss on the nape of Mo’s neck. Cuddling together, they remained that way for a while as he tenderly combed his fingers through the other man’s soft hair. Eventually, when Mo’s breathing evened out and his trembling subsided, He Tian knew he had fallen asleep. Holding him a little tighter, he wished with all his heart that morning would never come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Now that we've got that out of the way, time for some SMUT. I'm excited to write the next chapter!
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed it, even if it was a bit longer than normal. Please, let me know what you thought!


	6. The First and Last Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a flashback to the last day of summer before the boy's started high school; basically He Tian and Guan Shan's last day together before He Tian left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how this managed to be double the length than normal... I was having too much fun it seems!

It was already the last day of summer break before starting high school, and Guan Shan was trying to sleep in. For the entire week, he had been avoiding that needy bastard He Tian as he pestered the shit out of him. The guy had always been clingy, but for some reason, he had been overly insistent that they meet up. Much to his displeasure. Annoyingly, his phone rang for the fourth time in the last five minutes, and he was losing his patience. Grabbing it, he answered with a sharp tone.

“What the fuck do you want!? Do you know what time it is? Let a man fucking sleep in!”

The silky tone on the other end seemed unperturbed by his outburst.

_“Morning, Brother Mo~ Come downstairs, I’m waiting for you in front of your building~”_

Not wanting to deal with him, Guan Shan snapped back.

“GO DIE!” With that, he hung up his phone and tossed it across the room. Rolling over in bed, he closed his eyes with hopes of falling back to sleep. Not even five minutes had passed when he heard muffled voices coming from the living room. Suddenly, the door to his room burst open, and he sat up clutching his chest. “What the FUCK!?”

Startled, he had to take a deep breath to calm his heart rate. In front of him, He Tian stood in the doorway with a sour look on his face. Forcefully, the taller boy tossed a shopping bag at him and spoke in a firm tone.

“Get dressed. We need to leave or we’re going to be late.”

Suspicious, he peered inside the bag and saw neatly folded new clothes. Anger rising, he threw the bag back at the dark-haired boy as he yelled.

“I don’t give a fuck! It’s the last day of break, I’m not wasting it by hanging out with a chicken dick like you!”

At that, He Tian's expression turned dangerous in a flash. Without warning, the bastard jumped onto the bed and pinned him down. As he leaned forward, the other boy growled into his ear.

“Don’t make me strip you naked and dress you myself. Though, I would be happy to if you insist.”

Feeling the hot breath ghost over his skin, Guan Shan felt his cheeks become hot with embarrassment; He Tian never made idle threats...

“FUCK! Alright, alright! Just get the fuck off me already!”

Satisfied, the stronger boy let go of him and stood with a proud smirk. Handing him the shopping bag again, the jerk beamed.

“Great~ Was that so hard? Don’t take too long, we need to hurry now.”

After the other boy left the room, Guan Shan pulled the clothes from the bag. The items consisted of a black graphic t-shirt, an entirely too expensive-looking jacket, and weathered grey jeans. With a snarl, he stuffed them back into the bag and put on his normal clothes. Opening his bedroom door, He Tian frowned when he saw him.

“Why aren’t you wearing the clothes I bought for you?”

Guan Shan wasted no energy on pleasantries with the dark-haired boy.

“They were ugly.” They weren’t really, but if you gave the guy an inch, he’d take a mile. “I’m not a doll for you to play dress-up with.”

Brushing past the other boy, he made his way to the front door. Bending down to put his shoes on, he heard his mother call out from the kitchen.

“Oh! Are you boys leaving already?”

Like the devil he was, He Tian swooped in and gently clasped her hands in his.

“Why yes, Auntie! Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to have him home at a reasonable time.” The other boy was laying on the charm so thick, even his mother couldn’t hide her slight blush.

“Little He Tian, you’re so sweet! I’m not worried, I trust you both to be safe.”

The sight made Guan Shan roll his eyes in irritation. Opening the door, he grabbed He Tian by the shirt collar and pulled him away from his mom.

“Will you give it a rest!? Get the fuck out of my house already!” He could hear his mother's reprimand as the door shut behind them. _If only she knew his true personality..._ Walking down the apartment steps, he looked to the taller boy when they reached the bottom. “Where the fuck are we going?”

It was too damn early for him to be awake right now. _This better be good._

“It’s a surprise~ I know you’ll love it!” With a smile stretching across his face, He Tian started pulling him by the arm. The trip took them about twenty minutes, but they finally stood in front of a popular breakfast place.

Frowning, Guan Shan gave the other boy a fierce look.

“You dragged me out of bed for this shit?” Grumbling, he turned on his heels and started walking away. “I’m going back home.”

He didn’t get far before He Tian started dragging him back towards the entrance.

“Come on~ I made a reservation and everything. I hear they have a famous breakfast parfait!” As usual, the taller boy took the lead once they made their way inside. Walking up to the hostess, the guy gave his best smile. “I have a reservation under the name: He Tian.”

Looking slightly nervous, the young girl blushed as she checked her sheet.

“Oh, yes! I see you have a reservation for two. Is the other party with you?”

Purposefully, He Tian slung his arm over Guan Shan’s shoulders and pulled him in tightly against his side. Leaning his head onto him possessively, the black-haired boy purred his response.

“Yes~ He’s right here.”

Both Guan Shan and the hostess looked at each other with wide eyes. Glancing back at He Tian, he cursed the bastard out.

“What the hell are you doing!?” Whisper yelling, he knew his face was beet red as he struggled against the other boy’s hold. “Cut it out! You’ll give them the wrong idea!”

Though it was too late for that... As they found a seat, Guan Shan saw all the women in the place ogling them. Of course, He Tian didn’t seem to care, even as he tried to hide while the other boy whispered something to the server. _This was the worst!_ When the waitress brought over their order, he looked at the _single_ parfait that sat in-between them with knitted brows. It was obvious that the jerk planned this from the start.

“Why is there only one?” He grumbled with a deadpan look.

Resting his head on his hand, He Tian smiled at him with a devilish grin.

“It's meant to be shared~ Are you afraid of my germs?” Taking a spoonful, the dark-haired boy held it up to Guan Shan’s face. “Then Brother Mo can have the first bite~”

The squeals that came from the girls watching them had his face heating up to astronomical levels. Panicking, he inadvertently hit the spoon into the other boy’s lap.

“W-Who the hell would want to share food with you!?” Standing now, Guan Shan stormed outside, leaving the guy calling out to him from the table. He was only a little ways down the street when He Tian caught up to him. _How was this bastard so fast?_

“Little Mo! That wasn’t very nice, causing a scene like that.” Despite sprinting to catch up to him, the other boy wasn’t winded in the slightest. Irritated, he turned and bared his teeth at the guy.

“You’re the one who always causes a scene! Everywhere we go, you act like that and give people the wrong idea about us!”

Playing dumb, the jerk pouted.

“And what idea would that be?”

“That we’re toge-!” Stopping short, his ears grew hot at what he almost said out loud. Unfortunately, that chicken dick also noticed. Seeing the dumb smile that played on the other boy's lips made him feel weird. “SHUT UP!!! Get that disgusting look off your face!”

Turning, he tried to flee, but He Tian caught him.

“But I didn’t even say anything~” As he was pulled back, Guan Shan kept his face turned away while he listened. “Hey, who cares what other people think? We’re just out having fun.”

“I care!" Finally meeting his gaze, he scowled. "Because that's not what it is!”

“Well, you shouldn’t care.” There was an ever so slight flicker of _something_ on He Tian’s features, but the other boy played it off. “Anyway, this is only our first stop. We’ve got one more place to go to.”

When the taller boy started walking down the street, he went to turn the opposite way.

“Go by yourself, I’m going home!” Immediately, He Tian slid his arm around Guan Shan's shoulders a bit more forcefully than usual. There was no way he could break free, so he was helplessly tugged along.

“I promise I’ll be on my best behavior, Brother Mo~” The jerk’s teasing grin turned genuine now. “Please. You’ll like it once we get there.”

Guan Shan frowned, resigned to his fate.

“Fine, but pay me for my time.”

“Deal.”

Looking up at the other boy with surprise, his voice was innocently hopeful.

“Wait, really?”

Instantly, He Tian smirked and tried holding his laughter.

“I wasn’t actually, no. Though, I changed my mind after seeing your cute reaction~”

“Fuck off, you bastard!” His cheeks grew hot as he threw a punch, but He Tian easily caught it.

“Alright, alright!” Now, the guy took hold of Guan Shan’s forearm and started pulling him with a bit more fervor. “Come on, we’re almost there!”

Lagging behind, he had to maintain a light jog to keep up with the other boy.

“Hey! Will you slow down!?” Rounding the street corner, he recognized a familiar building across the way. Standing in the forecourt of the aquarium, He Tian turned to him with a proud smile.

“This time, I made sure we came when it was open!” The obvious excitement in his voice made Guan Shan’s heart skip a beat. _Why was that idiot so happy?_

Guiding him towards the entrance, He Tian pulled out two tickets and handed them to the man at the check-in counter. Urging him to follow, the other boy led the way into the main chamber. Once inside, Guan Shan’s eyes scanned the room with amazement; they had changed a lot since the last time he had come as a kid. Taking it all in, he gaped at the tanks filled with colorful fish lining the walkways. And even more impressive was the enormous whale skeleton that hung suspended in the air above them.

“Wow...” He didn’t mean to say it, but it sort of slipped out. Glancing around, his gaze came back to He Tian, and he immediately scowled again. “What.”

The other boy had been watching him intensely with a strange look in his eye.

“Nothing~” With a small smile, he took Guan Shan’s hand and gently pulled him down one of the halls. “I want to show you something. Follow me!”

Winding their way through the crowds, they finally ended up in one of those glass tunnels that lets you see inside the tank. Pulling him to the side, He Tian pointed up above them.

“Look.”

Staring into the murky water, Guan Shan knit his brows together.

“Look at what? I don’t see any-” Just then, the shadow of a giant shark swam above them. “Woah!”

Getting closer to the glass, he peered out into the tank. Slowly, he started to recognize the silhouettes of other sharks swimming lazily among the exhibit. Sliding up next to him, the taller boy bumped their shoulders together playfully.

“See? I told you I’d show you some sharks.”

Giving the other boy a sarcastic look, he scoffed.

“Uh, no? You said you’d show me your brother’s sharks. This doesn’t count.”

With a mischievous grin, He Tian gave him a dark look.

“I can still show them to you, but they might be the last thing you see.”

Guan Shan felt chills run up his spine at the thought; no doubt the guy's brother used them for that exact reason, he was sure of it...

“Fuck off! Don’t joke about that kind of shit here!” Miffed, he gave the idiot's upper arm a firm slap. Ducking out of the way, He Tian let out a small laugh and slung his arm across Guan Shan’s shoulders, pulling him close.

“What do you say we go see what else is around here, hmm?”

* * *

Guan Shan couldn’t believe how fast the day flew by. Without realizing it, the two of them ended up spending the whole afternoon at the aquarium. He Tian made sure to drag him to every exhibit and even to one of the shows where they feed the fish in the tanks. He wouldn’t admit it to the other boy, but he ended up enjoying himself more than he thought he would.

Eventually, as dinner time approached, they decided to grab some groceries on the way back to He Tian’s apartment. Normally, he would have just headed home, but the bastard was being extremely insistent that he come to his place. After getting back, he had made beef stew dinner at the guy’s request, and they had sat in silence while they ate. As the night went on, the other boy had been behaving strangely, and it was driving him nuts.

Now, here they sat on the living room floor with the lights off, staring out at the cityscape. The silence wasn’t awkward, but Guan Shan finally caved.

“What the fuck is up with you? You’ve been acting like you're at a funeral ever since we left the aquarium.” Not that he particularly cared, but it pissed him off when the guy pouted.

Still staring out at the city, He Tian laughed humorlessly.

“Is that so?" The depressive tone in the his voice made Guan Shan turn to look at him.

“Seriously. What’s your problem?” The look on the other boy's face was unreadable, and he could feel a slight pain in his heart. Finally, the dark-haired boy looked him in the eyes as he spoke in an uncharacteristically small voice.

“Brother Mo, are you sure you would never forget me?”

“This again?” Guan Shan frowned with confusion rather than irritation. “I thought we already talked about this? How can someone as pig-headed as you be so self-conscious about something like that.”

Suddenly, the other boy slumped over to rest his head on Guan Shan’s shoulder. The position made him appear smaller than he really was.

“I wanted to make today really special, so you would always remember me.”

 _Man, this guy could be a downer when he wanted to be.._. Letting his own head lean on top of He Tian’s, he tried his best to reassure him.

“I mean... I liked seeing the sharks.” _Wow, could he sound more stupid?_

Without warning, the other boy snapped back to attention and looked at him with stars in his eyes.

“Did you really?” It was as if He Tian had just gotten the best compliment of his life. _His mood swings were scary sometimes..._

“Well, yeah?” Now the raven-haired boy had a smile growing on his face, and Guan Shan didn’t want it going to his head. “I mean, it was alright. They weren’t that cool, though.”

Unexpectedly, He Tian stopped smiling and just looked at him. Panicking somewhat, he could feel a slight heat on his cheeks while he awkwardly waited for the other boy to say something. When the silence remained, he started to squirm under the scrutiny.

“Why the fuck are you staring at me!?” He hadn’t meant to yell, but he didn’t really know what else to do.

To his surprise, the dark-haired boy gently reached out and took a hold of his hand. Caught off guard, he was frozen in place as his adrenaline spiked. _What the fuck was going on!?_ Seeming to build his courage, He Tian finally spoke in a tender tone.

“Can I kiss you?”

Ripping his hand away from other boy’s grip, Guan Shan stammered as he backed away.

“WHAT THE F-FUCK!?” Turning his back to the idiot, he kept his face hidden as his skin was ablaze with embarrassment. This guy was always saying extreme things just to get a rise out of him. He had to be teasing him. “What kind of fucking question is that!? Stop making idiotic jokes!”

Since he was in full-blown panic mode, his brain couldn’t process any of the thoughts that were swirling around in his mind. When a hand lightly touched his shoulder, he jumped. Nearly a whisper, the other boy’s words came out deadly serious.

“I’m not joking.” Pulling on his shoulder, He Tian gently turned him around until they were facing one another again. “I really want to kiss you, Guan Shan.”

His brain was being pulled in several directions at once. Now the room was spinning, and his heartbeat was echoing in his ears.

“W-wha...” Trying to think, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind as he rambled. “Why the fuck would you want to kiss ME!? That’s fucking weird!”

He Tian took his reaction in stride, unfazed.

“Because I like you. Why would it be weird?”

Dumbfounded, his mouth gaped like a fish out of water as he looked at the guy.

“WE’RE BOTH GUYS!!!” _Was the room getting even hotter?_ He was melting now, no doubt he looked as red as a stop sign. “Why not kiss any of those girls that fawn over you all day instead!?”

“So what if we're both guys? And because they aren’t you.” The way the dark-haired boy said it so ‘matter of fact’ had taken him aback. “I didn’t want to force you to kiss me like last time, which is why I asked. I was hoping that this time, you’d want to kiss me back.”

 _Was this guy for real?_ Guan Shan was at a loss for words, unable to do anything but stare with his mouth open. Eventually, He Tian spoke again.

“Would you humor me and let me kiss you at least once?” The fear of rejection was written clear across the other boy’s face, and it snapped him out of his daze. Looking up at his grey colored eyes, Guan Shan gave an almost imperceptible nod. _Why the fuck was he agreeing to this?_ With his heart still racing, he nervously held the other boy's gaze as he felt a hand on the nape of his neck. Using his touch to guide each other closer, He Tian whispered low. “If you want me to stop, you can say so.”

Swallowing thickly, Guan Shan shut his eyes tightly in anticipation. He didn’t know if he felt scared, nervous, or... _excited?_ But the last thought made him uncomfortable, so he quickly swept it from his mind.

When warm, soft lips lightly made contact with his own, he gasped in surprise. The other boy paused for a moment before pressing their lips together again, more firmly this time. Unlike that first ‘kiss’ they had shared - which was harsh, abrasive, and possessive - this kiss was much softer, almost tender. It didn’t match the image he had in his head of the raven-haired boy, and he didn't know how to process that. After what felt like an eternity, He Tian finally backed away, and Guan Shan let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding. Opening his eyes, he saw the dark-haired man watching him closely and the scrutiny had his stomach doing flips.

“W-what?” His face was heating up again, only this time it wasn’t just from embarrassment. He Tian still had his hand on Guan Shan’s neck, and he started caressing it gently with his thumb.

“I just really want to kiss you again.”

Now his ears felt hot as his heart skipped in his chest. _Why did those words make him feel this way?_ Having a hard time looking at the other boy, he mumbled into He Tian’s arm.

“Y-you can... If you want...”

Before he could finish his sentence, Guan Shan was caught by surprise when He Tian instantly moved in. This time, the kiss felt almost a little desperate, and he could feel himself getting lightheaded. Suddenly, the warm sensation of the other boy’s tongue licked at his lips, begging for entrance. For some reason, he opened his mouth and let the guy’s tongue invade him hungrily. With shaky hands, he reached out and weakly grasped at He Tian's shirt. The slight moan from the larger boy filled his mouth while their tongues continued to explore, signaling his approval. Like an echo chamber, they were both getting more excited as the other reacted.

At the moment, Guan Shan was straining to keep himself upright, mainly using his hold on the other boy’s shirt for leverage. As He Tian leaned further into the kiss, he felt himself start to fall backward but was caught by a firm arm. Suddenly, the dark-haired boy pulled away, leaving him a little confused. Panting hard, the flush on He Tian's face was something he had never seen before, and it made his heart flutter again.

Impulsively, the other boy whispered to him with lust laden eyes.

“Do you want to continue this on the bed?”

Still slightly out of breath, Guan Shan could only nod as he was afraid of embarrassing himself if he spoke. Wasting no time, the larger boy scooped him up in a fireman's carry and brought him over to the bed.

“H-HEY!” Now the world rushed around him as he flopped onto the bed.

“Sorry, I didn’t want to wait.” Crawling on top of him, He Tian’s firm body pinned him to the bed. Now that they were closer, he could feel something hard press against his leg.

“W-wait... is th-that!?” Unable to say the rest out loud, the shameless bastard finished the thought for him.

“Of course, I’d get hard in this situation.” Moving now, the guy parted Guan Shan’s legs to press a thigh into his crotch. The pressure from the larger boy's body weight made a moan slip out of him unintentionally. Embarrassed, he clasped a hand over his own mouth and looked up as He Tian smiled. “Don't play innocent, you’re also hard.”

“Shut up! Don’t say it out loud!” Heat radiated from his cheeks as he waited for the guy to tease him, but instead, his words were soft.

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s just your body telling you it feels good.” Now the other boy laughed. “I mean, I’d be a little offended if you _didn’t_ get hard.”

Giving the larger boy a half-hearted smack upside the head, Guan Shan huffed.

“Do you ever think before you say such dumb shit?” Rather than responding, He Tian just used his thigh again to grind it against Guan Shan’s crotch. The rush of friction made him gasp as he grabbed onto the guy’s arms. “ _Nnghh_ , don’t do that.”

Clearly, the breathlessness of his voice said otherwise, and with a smirk, the dark-haired boy leaned in for another kiss while his hand slid up under Guan Shan’s shirt. The combination of sensations sent shivers down his spine, and he could feel the tension in his stomach grow. _How did this feel so good?_ Eager moans escaped from both of them as the larger boy started to rub his own hard-on against him now. This time, he was too in the moment to feel embarrassed at the noises he was making. Desperate for more, he started to move his own hips in time with the other’s movements.

Abruptly, He Tian pulled away again. Breathing heavily, the guy looked at him with hungry eyes.

“Do you want to take this further?” It was obvious the other boy was struggling to hold back, but he wouldn’t cross the line if he was told no. Not entirely sure what he meant by further, Guan Shan’s curiosity and the feeling in his stomach spurred him on.

“Yeah.” He whispered with another nod.

Sitting up, He Tian pushed Guan Shan’s shirt up, and let his gaze trail along the exposed skin of his stomach. Lightly, the other boy’s fingertips ghosted across his abs, causing his skin to tickle with goosebumps. Finally, his hands finished their journey at the button of Guan Shan's pants. As he watched the guy undo the fastenings, his heartbeat pounded in his ears from his nervousness. Seeing his wide-eyed, frantic look had He Tian reaching out to reassure him.

“Relax.” His tone was confident, yet gentle. “It will feel good, I promise. You can tell me to stop anytime.”

Taking a deep breath, Guan Shan watched as the other boy finished undoing the zipper. With ease, the guy lifted his hips so he could pull his pants down out of the way, revealing his erection. Seeing it out in the open had his embarrassment come rushing back to the surface. Blushing hard, he worried his bottom lip as he waited for something to happen. Everything that was happening felt so surreal. Without hesitation, He Tian took Guan Shan’s length in his hand, and the warmth from the firm hold had him moan again. It felt good, but he wanted _more_. Almost as if the guy could read his mind, he started moving his hand. With a lustful gaze, the other boy watched Guan Shan’s breath hitch when he found a good rhythm. As his pleasure grew, his inner thoughts just spilled out.

“ _God..._ How are you so good at this?”

The chuckle from He Tian was playful, like his words.

“Well, I’ve had a lot of practice on myself~”

Flashing his teeth in a lazy snarl, Guan Shan gave him a halfhearted middle finger.

“Oh, shudd-up.” His ecstasy made the words meld together. With a smirk, the other boy suddenly shifted positions. Pulling him to the edge of the bed, the guy knelt on the floor between his legs. Startled, he reached out and covered himself with his hands as he stammered.

“W-wait! What are you doing!?”

Calmly watching him, the dark-haired boy spoke with a nonchalant tone.

“Well, I was going to suck you off.”

Panicked, the words made Guan Shan’s face become searing hot. 

“No! You can’t do that!”

Still on the floor, He Tian let out a small sigh and looked him in the eyes.

“Do you actually want me to stop, or are you just embarrassed?”

Unable to think clearly, he just looked at the other boy. Battling with himself internally, he was confused as fuck and still waiting for the punchline to this drawn-out joke. Everything had escalated so quickly, and he couldn't believe he was doing this with He Tian of all people. Though the most embarrassing part of this whole thing was that he actually wanted to know what He Tian's mouth would feel like on his dick... Weighing his options, he threw his arms over his face.

“I... I want you... to keep going.” Keeping his face hidden, he hissed when he felt something hot and wet caress the tip of his cock. It was unlike anything he’d ever felt before, and he wished the guy would stop teasing him. As if on cue, the other boy took the head of his dick fully in his mouth. Involuntarily, his hips pumped upwards with a hiss, trying to find more of the warmth. Immediately, He Tian obliged him and slowly slid more of his length into his mouth. Groaning, he twitched as the guy rolled his tongue across the sensitive slit at the tip of his dick.

Throwing his head back, Guan Shan tried to pull He Tian’s hair a little as he gasped.

“Hey, slow d-down.” The tension in his stomach kept growing as other boy continued his pace. “Seriously! I-I'm going to come!”

Spurred on by his words, He Tian began to work him even harder now. He didn’t want to come in the other boy’s mouth, but he couldn’t hold out much longer if they kept up this pace.

 _“H-He Tian!”_ Firmly grasping the other boy’s hair again, he bit his bottom lip to keep himself quiet. _“Mmfphh!”_

When Guan Shan opened his eyes, he saw the dark-haired boy hungrily watching him while he worked his dick. The sight was all it took to push him over the edge, and his hips bucked up into He Tian’s mouth. With every spasm of pleasure, the other boy sucked his cum down, making him moan again. As his dick became more sensitive, the guy finally slowed his pace, and let Guan Shan ride out his aftershocks before finally releasing him. Breathing heavily, his half-lidded eyes stared up at the ceiling. _That was the best orgasm he’d ever had._

Feeling a bit lightheaded, he looked at the bastard sitting at the foot of the bed, staring at him with a grin. Too tired, Guan Shan called out to him.

“What."

“Nothing. I’m just thinking about how attractive you are.”

And there he goes, making fun of him again. Averting his eyes, he mumbled quietly.

“Don’t say shit you don’t mean.” Normally, he could handle the guy’s teasing, but he was in a weird headspace right now.

“Hey.” He Tian's soft voice pulled his attention again. “I’ve meant every word I’ve said tonight.”

The flutter of his heart had Guan Shan blushing again.

“Shut up. You sound like a greeting card.” After a few moments of silence, he watched the other boy stand up and stretch. Without thinking, his eyes looked down at the obvious bulge in the guy’s pants. “You’re still hard.”

Oddly, He Tian looked at him with surprise.

“Oh... yeah. Don’t worry about it. I’ll rub one out later~” The last sentence was spoken with a slight brow wiggle.

Not finding it funny, Guan Shan frowned.

“But, that’s not fair?”

Now, He Tian’s look became serious.

“Oh? Are you offering something?”

Feeling his stomach flip again, he averted his eyes. What _was_ he offering?

“I-I just think you should... finish too...” The last part of the sentence was spoken under his breath. Why did this bastard always make him say embarrassing shit?

Standing there, the guy licked his lips while looking at him lustfully, and he would be lying if he said it wasn't sexy as hell.

“So, what are we going to do about it?”

Guan Shan couldn’t comprehend everything that had happened tonight, mainly because he never bothered to do this kind of stuff with anyone before, so he felt out of his depth. He didn't know anything about sex, but a part of him wanted to go further. Working up his courage, he spoke in a small tone.

“We could... do it. I-If you wanted...” He watched as He Tian’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you sure?” Staring at his body, the other boy continued. “I don’t think I could stop once we start, so I want to make sure that’s what you want.”

Swallowing thickly, he nodded his head.

“Yeah, I want to.”

Wasting no time, He Tian moved over to the boxes of stuff he kept by the bed. Digging around, he pulled out a box of condoms and a thing of lube. Turning to him, the other boy spoke in a smooth tone. 

“Take off your clothes.”

Doing as he was told, Guan Shan used shaky hands to remove his shirt and pants the rest of the way. Beside him, He Tian did the same, and Guan Shan’s gaze fell to the impressive size of the other boy’s length. Feeling nervous, he quickly looked away as he felt the bed shift under the larger boy’s weight. Now, the guy ushered him to move back up on the bed and positioned himself between Guan Shan’s legs again. Watching the other boy squeeze lube onto his fingers, he felt his anxiety spike once more.

“He Tian... I’ve never...” He was sure he sounded like a loser, but the words came out before he could stop himself. With a gentle smile, He Tian placed a warm hand on his thigh as the other went down to his entrance.

“Don't be nervous, we'll take it slow. I’m just going to stretch you out first.” Feeling a weird sensation, he shut his eyes tight as a finger slowly slid into him. Beginning to work him open, the odd feeling had him letting out a shuddering breath. Encouraged, He Tian slipped a second finger inside, which made him squirm at the pressure. Taking the time to find his sensitive spots, he could hear the guy growl his approval. “Good, you’re getting hard again.”

The statement had him blush at the frankness.

“You don’t need to narrate everything!” It was embarrassing enough without having to hear it too. Though the other boy ignored his complaint.

"It's hard not to when you're so damn sexy~" _What the fuck was this guy saying!?_ He could swear his whole body was blushing now. With a smile, He Tian looked at him. "I'm going to put another one in."

Hiding his face with his arms, Guan Shan winced as a third finger was pushed inside him. The pressure felt uncomfortable but good at the same time. Instinctively, he opened his legs a little wider so the other boy could reach deeper. Within just a few moments, he could feel himself wanting more. Unfortunately, the fingers could only do so much with their limited reach, and he whined quietly in frustration. When the other boy pulled his fingers out, the emptiness had a small whimper escape from his lips. Now, the other boy opened one of the condoms, and deftly slid it on. Positioning himself at Guan Shan’s entrance, He Tian leaned in and looked him in the eyes.

“I’m going to start.” Immediately, the hot pressure started to stretch him, and he squeezed his eyes shut again as his body tensed. Gritting his teeth, he felt He Tian's length slowly edge deeper and deeper into him. With every inch, he thought he wouldn’t be able to take any more, but the pressure just kept building. With a shuddering breath, He Tian groaned into his ear.

“I’m all the way in.” Adjusting his body above him, the other boy placed a soft kiss on his lips. “Just try to relax. I’m going to start moving now, okay?”

Involuntarily bracing, his body already felt like it was going to split open; it would hurt for sure if the idiot started moving! Yet, the small circular pumps slowly built momentum, and he could feel himself loosen as his body became used to it. Hearing the noises as their bodies moved against each other, he blushed; it was awkward being so close together. Not knowing what to do with his body, he fumbled nervously while trying to position himself under the other boy. Taking the lead, He Tian guided Guan Shan's arms up around his shoulders.

“Here, hold on to me.” Moving in again, the guy started kissing him greedily.

Soon, he felt the other boy slide a hand up his stomach until it reached his chest. From there, he felt a thumb start to rub over his nipple, sending chills down into his stomach. Though the sensations were a little uncomfortable, hearing He Tian’s obvious grunts of pleasure had him feeling excited too. Just then, he wondered what made He Tian different? He would never do this with anyone else, so why did he let He Tian so close to him?

Opening his eyes, Guan Shan looked up at the other boy's face; flushed with lust, eyes half-lidded, and breathing heavy. Moving his own hand from He Tian’s shoulder, he tentatively cupped his cheek. Surprising even himself, he nervously leaned forward and kissed the dark-haired boy. With a groan rumbling deep in his chest, He Tian took Guan Shan’s hand and pinned it on the bed. Intertwining their fingers, the raven-haired boy kissed him back with frantic need. With his other free hand, He Tian grasped Guan Shan’s hair and pulled him in.

Picking up his pace, He Tian’s breathing became heavier as he continued to plunge into him. Now that he had loosened up, the other boy was able to reach the deepest parts of him, and it made them both grind into every thrust. He knew the other boy was close now, and he could feel himself tensing in anticipation. Playfully, he nipped at He Tian’s bottom lip, and it was enough to send the other boy over the edge. With each twitch of the cock inside him, he clenched in return to pull every ounce of pleasure out of the boy. They remained chest to chest for a while as He Tian rode out the last of his orgasm, patiently waiting for their heartbeats to settle and their breathing to even out.

When the aftershocks finally subsided, He Tian went to pull out, but Guan Shan stopped him.

“Wait!” Intense, dark eyes looked at him expectantly. With a slight blush, he averted his gaze. “Uh... never mind.”

But He Tian didn’t move. Instead, the dark-haired boy leaned in again and kissed him so gently, he thought he might have imagined it. Moving his head to the side, He Tian whispered in Guan Shan’s ear.

“You were amazing.” Feeling his temperature skyrocket, he tried to hide his embarrassment as the guy finally pulled out. While he left to clean himself up, Guan Shan remained alone on the bed. Staring up at the ceiling, the full weight of what just happened finally hit him.

_Him and He Tian just had sex..._

Burying his face into his hands, his mind started racing. What the fuck was he thinking!? How could he have let himself get so carried away!? Clothes... Where the fuck were his clothes? He needed to get dressed and leave as soon as possible. Sitting up, he winced at the soreness in his ass, but quickly pushed the thought from his mind; he couldn’t deal with processing that right now. Instead, he frantically searched around the bed for his discarded clothes. Annoyingly, he couldn’t find his underwear, so he just threw on his pants without them.

Just then, he heard He Tian clear his throat. When he looked over, the other boy was standing there, still naked, with a towel in hand.

“I brought you this in case you wanted to wipe down, but I guess you were planning to run away before I got back?”

Turning his gaze elsewhere, Guan Shan snapped back to his usual prickly attitude.

“Will you put some fucking clothes on!?”

Unlike normal, the other boy seemed a little irritated.

“Why? You’re acting like we didn’t just fuck.” The words were harsh as the taller boy continued. “I was hoping to spend some more time together and maybe cuddle. But I guess this didn’t mean the same for you as it did for me.”

Dumbfounded, Guan Shan looked at him now. The confrontation was backing him into a corner and forcing him to face something he wasn’t entirely ready to. With his emotions all over the place, he became defensive and hostile.

“What the fuck are you talking about!? I-It was just sex! I’m sure you’ve had plenty of it, given how popular you are.” He didn’t really mean what he said, but his insecurities were making him second guess the other boy’s motives.

“Yeah, I’ve had sex before. So what?" The guy’s expression turned dark as he hid his eyes behind his hair. "Unlike the other times, _this_ wasn’t just sex to me. Guan Shan, I lo-!”

“STOP!!” Holding his hands to his ears, he clamped his eyes shut, not wanting to look at He Tian’s dumb face anymore. He wasn’t ready to hear what the other boy was going to say, and his anxiety was escalating into a small panic attack. “I should get home; we have school tomorrow.”

Quickly finding his shirt, he gave up searching for his other belongings. He just needed to get the fuck out of here. _Now_. While he was pulling on his shirt, He Tian had put on his pants and closed the distance between them.

“Brother Mo...” Reaching out to grab his hand, Guan Shan slapped him away.

“DON’T... Don't touch me right now.” Seeing the hurt in He Tian’s eyes made him cringe internally. He didn’t mean to hurt the guy’s feelings. “I-I just need time to... process some things.”

Standing across from each other, a silence stretched between them before the other boy gave him a small nod.

“Okay.” He Tian’s voice was unusually small, and Guan Shan could have sworn he saw the faintest shimmer in his eyes. Wringing the bottom of his shirt in his hands, he swallowed back his own unknown feelings before he whispered.

“See you at school.”

Brushing past the other boy, he left He Tian standing alone as he fled the apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter was good? I really tried my best to make it romantic, but also true to an awkward first time 😉 What sweet BABIES! Next chapter, back to the present for He Tian and Mo's morning after his drunken escapades! Maybe they'll finally talk!?


	7. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guan Shan wakes up after his bad night of drinking. Him and He Tian finally have a talk.

Rolling onto his side, Guan Shan groaned at how uncomfortable he was. The first thing he noticed was nausea; every movement had him swallowing thickly as his head spun. The next thing that came through was the pounding in his head, accompanied by the stiffness in his muscles. Running through his blurry memories, the last thing he remembered was drinking at She Li’s... Had he been in another fight or something? Shifting positions again, he realized that probably wasn’t likely as his hands could feel softness underneath him. Did he end up crashing at the club after drinking too much?

Attempting to open his eyes, the brightness in the room had him burying his face into the pillows with a groan. Confusion seeped in further when he noticed that the fabric held a familiar scent that wasn’t his own? In an instant, his heart started racing, and he pushed himself up from the bed. The sudden elevation had his head spinning anew. Squeezing his eyes shut, he had to clasp a hand over his mouth to keep from throwing up. Letting his stomach settle, he squinted as he finally took a look around the room. Immediately, his stomach dropped when he realized where he was.

How the fuck did he end up at He Tian’s place!?

Panic started rising in his chest as he wracked his brain for any hints, and he felt a twinge of fear when he couldn’t remember anything. Taking stock of his surroundings, he noticed that the man in question was markedly absent. _Thank god for small blessings!_ Removing the blanket from his legs, he blushed when he realized he wasn’t wearing any pants. Now his thoughts went to the worst scenario, and his heart clenched while his stomach rolled. Did they...?

Taking a second, he mentally checked over his body and shook his head. He felt like utter shit, but he didn’t feel like _that_ happened _._ Since he couldn’t remember, it was the best he could get for reassurance. Sighing _,_ he rubbed his face with his hands. _What the actual fuck happened last night..._

Scanning the floor around him for his pants, he found them in a heap at the foot of the bed. When he bent down to grab them, he had to wait for the dizziness to pass before he was able to pull them on. Seeing the stains on the pant-leg, he frowned when he couldn’t remember how they got there either. _Whatever._ He needed to leave before He Tian got back from where ever he went, he could brood about his ruined pants later.

Standing, he stumbled a bit as another wave of nausea and fatigue hit him. The fact that he still felt a little drunk told him he really fucked up last night.

“ _Ughhh...”_ Man, this was the last time he was drinking, _ever._

Making his way to the front hallway, he heard the toilet flush and silently cursed under his breath. _Fuck!_ Unfortunately, he didn’t have enough time to make a run for it before the bathroom door opened. Standing in the doorway, He Tian looked at him with disapproval.

“Seems you have a habit of trying to run away when I leave the room.” Though it was meant as a joke, the other man’s expression held no humor. “Where were you going to go?”

Instantly scowling, Guan Shan didn’t feel well enough to stick around and chat.

“Obviously, I’m going home.” Starting to walk past the dark-haired man, he stopped when He Tian blocked the front door with his body.

“Will you just wait a minute? Did you call a taxi because you certainly can’t walk all the way home like that?” He Tian looked him up and down with a skeptical glance.

 _Shit._ He hadn’t actually thought about that. It wasn’t like he had money to spare, but he’d be damned if he let that bastard keep him from leaving.

“Mind your own business! If I remember correctly, you owe me for your cab fare the other night.” Reaching for the door handle, he jumped when He Tian gripped his arm lightly. “Hey! Let go!”

Pulling his arm back a little too forcefully, he lost his footing and stumbled into the wall. The abrupt movement had him closing his eyes tightly from the dizziness. As he slowly sank down to the floor, his head continued to spin while his stomach churned. Pulling his legs to his chest, he placed his head between his knees and waited for the nausea to pass. After a few seconds, he heard He Tian bend down next to him and quietly speak.

“Hey, are you alright?” He Tian reached out gently, but Guan Shan slapped the other man’s hand away from him.

“Don’t touch me.” Feeling a little better, he slowly lifted his head. “M’fine.”

Both of them remained on the floor for a while before He Tian spoke again.

“Well, why don’t you take a shower and eat something at least? Then I can give you a ride home.”

Thinking it over, he sighed. Though he didn’t want to stick around, he really felt awful and this was the best option he had.

“Fine.” Moving to stand, the other man went to help him up, but Guan Shan brushed him away again. “Seriously, I don’t need your help.”

Now that he was standing, he eased himself into the bathroom. Closing the door behind him, he sighed in relief when he twisted the lock. Making his way over to the standing shower, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.

“Holy shit...” Leaning in for a closer look, he stared at himself with his mouth agape. Not only was he pale as fuck, but the dark circles under his eyes made him look like a corpse. No wonder He Tian wouldn’t let him leave.

Looking down at the counter, he noticed a pile of neatly folded clothes and a packaged toothbrush. Of course, that bastard had this planned from the beginning. Sighing, he rubbed his face; there was no sense in fighting the guy now. Besides, he knew a hot shower would help clear the fogginess in his head, and he'd be lying if he said he didn't want one. Quickly turning on the water, he took a moment to brush his teeth as he undressed, and remove the bandages on his face and neck while the water warmed up.

Stepping into the steam, a deep sigh escaped him when the warm water trailed down his body. _Fuck, did this feel good..._

Seeing He Tian’s things in the shower, Guan Shan idly looked at some of the containers of expensive soaps and shampoos. For a guy, he had a surprisingly extensive amount of different scents. Taking the time to smell each one, the sudden image of He Tian washing himself crept into his thoughts. Blushing, Guan Shan quickly scrubbed the idea out of his mind while he shampooed his hair. Unfortunately, now the heat coupled with the steam began to make him dizzy, and he felt unsteady on his feet. Deciding to sit on the ceramic tiles, he stayed like that for a while before finally mustering the energy to leave the comfort of the warm water.

Emerging from the shower, he frowned when he looked at his hands. He must have been in there longer than he thought because his skin was pruned. Normally, he took quick showers since he hated wasting time, but the desire to avoid the undoubtedly awkward talk he was sure to face made it hard to motivate himself.

Grabbing the clothes still sitting on the counter to get dressed, he watched a pair of yellow briefs fall to the floor. Picking them up, he felt his cheeks become hot when he realized they were the ones he left _that_ night. Shaking the thought from his head, he held them up to his waist and scowled. _There was no way these were going to fit anymore..._ Dumping them in the trash, he pulled on the rest of the clothes and took another look in the mirror. He looked so much better already; the shower warmed up his skin, and though He Tian’s dark clothes were a little bit big, he didn’t look half bad in them. 

Removing his belongings from his old clothes, he pulled out his cell phone. Annoyingly, the thing had died at some point during the night. _Just great._

Finished getting ready, he opened the bathroom door and felt his heart clench when he smelled something burning. Moving as fast as he could to the kitchen, he saw He Tian running water over a pan in the sink. Walking up behind the larger man, Guan Shan could see a charred pile of mush washing down the drain. Wrinkling his nose, he looked at the other man and pointed at the black mass in the sink.

“What the fuck is that?”

Like a child, He Tian turned to him with an innocent look on his face.

“It was supposed to be eggs... I was trying to make you something to eat, but I don’t know what happened?” The genuine confusion in the other man’s voice had him suppressing a laugh. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he hid his smile as he moved to the stove.

“Good to know that you still can’t cook for shit, even after two years away. Some things never change.” Grabbing a pan from one of the cabinets, he now moved to the fridge. “What do you want for breakfast?”

At that, He Tian’s face twisted into a frown.

“You don’t need to cook-” Quickly, Guan Shan raised his hand to stop him before he could continue.

“In this case, I don’t mind. Besides, I don’t think we can even classify anything you make as _edible.”_

For the first time since they spoke earlier, the dark-haired man smiled softly.

“Alright, fine. Surprise me~”

Turning towards the fridge, Guan Shan grabbed a few things to throw together a simple breakfast. To be honest, he didn’t have much of an appetite, so he went for something light for himself. Standing in He Tian’s kitchen felt oddly familiar despite how long it had been since he was last here. It was funny how easy it was to fall back into old habits... After he finished cooking, he brought two plates over to the counter for the both of them. Placing a vegetable omelet in front of the other man, Guan Shan sat down with his own plate that only held a few pieces of toast.

Instantly, He Tian gave him a look.

“You need to eat more than that.” Cutting his omelet in half, the dark-haired man moved to place it on his plate. “Come on, take half of mine.”

Shielding his plate from the guy's hand, Guan Shan grumbled at him.

“Stop being so pushy! If I wanted more, I would have made myself more!” With a huff, he turned away from He Tian’s worried stare.

Hesitantly taking a bite of toast, his stomach twisted in revolt. Chewing for entirely too long, he finally managed to swallow it down with a grimace. Looking at the other pieces on his plate, he decided it was better to not push it and slid the dish away from him. Seeing He Tian watching him like a hawk, he tried to change the subject.

“Do you, uh... Do you have a phone charger I could borrow?” Holding up the useless device, he waved it around. “My phone died.”

Clearly letting his half-assed distraction slide, He Tian nodded and got up from the table.

Feeling a little awkward now, Guan Shan kept his head low and started to pick at a loose thread on his shirt. Now that he was alone, the pounding in his head was taking center stage and it felt like someone was playing drums with his skull. With a small groan, he rubbed his eyes to try and relieve some of the pressure without much success. Just then, a sudden clatter on the table startled him out of his thoughts. Next to him, He Tian had placed a charger along with a glass of water and a couple of Advil, much to his relief. Taking the items with a slight nod of thanks, he heard He Tian clear his throat as he sat back down across from him.

“So, how much of last night do you remember?”

Instantly, he looked at the other man with furrowed brows, but He Tian’s face was stone and betrayed nothing of his thoughts. Scowling at the question, Guan Shan thought it over while trying to keep his expression neutral; it was a little weird that he couldn’t remember. Though it doesn’t happen often, it wasn’t the first time he had gotten that wasted with She Li, but he had always been able to remember _most_ of those nights. Swallowing his panic, his previous train of thought from the morning came rushing back. With a slight heat on his cheeks, he averted his eyes as he spoke in a small tone.

“We didn’t... do anything, right?”

Giving him a gentle look, the other man shook his head.

“No. We didn’t.” Immediately, an intense weight was lifted from his chest at the other man’s words. Now, He Tian’s light laugh caught his attention. “You look so relieved~”

The guy was clearly teasing him, so Guan Shan decided to play along.

“Oh, fuck off. Who’d want to do anything with your ugly mug?”

The half-hearted middle finger he flashed made the dark-haired man smirk. Yet, He Tian’s face quickly turned serious again.

“But really, I was just a little worried. You were very out of it when I found you.”

Knitting his brows together at that, he tried thinking back over the night. He remembered showing up at the club and drinking with She Li. Then that bastard Shen Jun... _Fuck._

“Where, uh… did you find me exactly?” His question had He Tian giving him a dark look. Clearly, the other man was unhappy with the fact he couldn't remember, but he really hoped the idiot hadn’t come to the club. Though if he had, Guan Shan doubted that the guy would have been able to take him out of there.

“I was on the street when you grabbed my arm and dragged me down a side alley. You seemed nervous and unsteady, then you got really sick.” Concern laced He Tian's voice now as he leaned forward in his seat. “I just want to make sure you’re being safe with whatever it is you’re doing.”

Cursing under his breath, Guan Shan wasn’t sure how to approach this. He couldn’t let He Tian know what he believed had happened, or the other man would undoubtedly go after Shen Jun. He would deal with that blonde-haired bastard later, for now, he had to do damage control with He Tian. 

“Look, I don't want the riot act. No one asked you to stick your nose into my business. I’m a fucking adult, I can take care of myself.”

Not changing his stone expression, He Tian just crossed his arms over his chest as he scoffed.

“Oh yeah? Then maybe you should take care of yourself like an actual adult.” Now his tone became softer again. “I’m not going to just leave you laying in an alley somewhere. If the roles were reversed, I would like to think you would do the same for me?”

Feeling a pang of guilt, Guan Shan couldn’t argue with him. It was embarrassing to let himself be seen like that. Not to mention, as much as he wanted to convince himself otherwise, he never truly stopped caring for the thickheaded jerk sitting in front of him...

With a sigh, he rolled his eyes.

“Obviously, I wouldn’t leave you... With my luck, if your dumb ass somehow managed to die, the cops would come for _me_ first.”

Unexpectedly, the two of them looked at each other and shared their first laugh since this whole nightmare had started. Feeling the tension in the room ease, Guan Shan almost forgot what it was like to feel so relaxed around another person. Just then, his phone started buzzing as it rebooted from being dead. Confused, he watched as all of the notifications from the night downloaded into his inbox. Picking up the device, the color drained from his face when he saw several calls and texts from She Li.

Reading through them, his stomach twisted with each message.

_She Li: ‘Where did you go?’_

_She Li: ‘Are you playing dumb, or actually ignoring me?’_

_She Li: ‘Don't make me ask you again.’_

_Missed Call – She Li_

_She Li: ‘I told you to leave your phone on.’_

_Cun_ _Tou_ _: ‘Boss, where are you? She Li is pissed! Let me know if you’re in trouble...’_

_Missed Call – She Li_

_She Li: ‘You better call me.’_

The final message held a warning that didn’t need to be written out for him to see; he was in deep shit. Looking up from his phone, he saw He Tian watching him intensely. Exhausted, he put on his best poker face before opening the can of worms he knew was waiting for him.

“What?” Guan Shan bit out a little more harsh than he had meant it.

Across from him, the dark-haired man narrowed his eyes as he looked him over again.

“You seemed upset just now. Did something happen?” He Tian’s grey eyes were sharp, scrutinizing everything he did. He had to play this carefully or he would be inviting even more trouble into his life.

“Nothing happened. Just some missed calls from my mom.” Hopefully, that would be enough to get the other man off of his ass, but he had a feeling he wasn’t going to let it go. “Why don’t you mind your own business?”

“Let’s pretend I believe you for a second.” Leaning forward in his seat again, He Tian looked at him with a painful expression. “Look, I’ve been meaning to talk to you since the other day...”

Internally cringing, Guan Shan broke eye contact. This was the last thing he wanted to do.

“What’s there to talk about?” Leaning back in his own chair, he tried to keep as much distance between the two of them as possible. “If this has anything to do with what happened two years ago, you can forget it. That’s over and done with, and I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Yeah, no. We do actually need to talk about that. Though, I also wanted to ask you about She Li.”

Shaken by the unexpected question, his hands trembled. This was exactly what he wanted to avoid, and he should have made a break for it when he still had the chance.

“Please, don’t do this right now.” Looking at the other man with pleading eyes, he really hoped He Tian would just let it go.

“Guan Shan…” He Tian’s voice sounded strained as he continued. “Are you happy with him?”

“What kind of dumbass fucking question is that!?” Guan Shan’s heart was pounding in his ears, and he could feel his stomach tighten with anxiety when the other man spoke again.

“I know we… I fucked up back then. There hasn’t been a day that’s gone by that I haven’t thought of you.” Now the dark-haired man hid his eyes behind his bangs. “I couldn’t wait to come back, so I make things right. It was unfair of me to think you would put your life on pause for me.”

He could feel the weight in his stomach grow heavier with each word the guy spoke. He had always imagined how this conversation would go, but it was never quite like this.

“He Tian.” Getting his attention, He Tian slowly lifted his eyes to meet his as Guan Shan continued. “We’ve both changed in the last two years; for better or worse. Just wishing for something won’t make it happen. It took me a long time to realize that others can come and go, but I can’t escape from my life like you can.”

Confusion etched the other man’s features, and he went to say something, but Guan Shan stopped him.

“Look, we aren’t from the same world. You can actually do something with your life, but I’ll be forever stuck here no matter how hard I try. There’s no point in throwing your life away for someone like me.” Although he didn’t want to say it, he had to make sure He Tian would finally move on. With a lump in his throat, he tried to swallow but felt his words catch. “I’m h-happy… with She Li.”

Instantly, He Tian narrowed his eyes.

“Then why are you always so scared of him?” His tone wasn’t accusatory, but still held a cadence of anger.

“I-I’m not!” Feeling embarrassed, Guan Shan averted his gaze.

Clearly annoyed, He Tian growled at him, getting frustrated.

“Then why were you so scared last night that you wouldn’t let me bring you home? Not to mention just now when you looked at your phone? Don’t insult me by lying like that.” Now He Tian’s voice became darker. “Does he have something on you again?”

Overwhelmed, Guan Shan sank his head down into his hands. He was mentally exhausted and physically drained. With a shaky sigh, his shoulders sagged.

“I’m done talking about this. Please, I’m so tired... Can you just bring me home now?”

It was obvious the other man didn’t want to leave the conversation as it was, but he wasn’t going to push it either. With a sigh of his own, He Tian relented.

“Yeah… we can go.”

Gathering his stuff, the two of them made their way down to the building’s garage in silence. However, when they reached He Tian’s car, Guan Shan’s mouth fell open as he finally broke the awkward tension between them.

“Woah! That car is so cool!” The genuine excitement in his voice made He Tian smile at him.

“You like what you see?” The man's smug tone was still gently teasing. It was obvious he loved the attention but wasn't sure if they were back on speaking terms yet. And even though Guan Shan did like what he saw, he didn’t want to give the idiot a fat head, so he threw out a deadpan look.

“Now that I take a second look, it’s not that great.” With a shrug, he waited by the passenger door while he followed the sleek lines of the car with his eyes. Enjoying the back and forth, He Tian just smirked at him as he unlocked the doors for them to get in. 

Thankfully, the guy didn’t pressure him into any more awkward conversations. Instead, they spent the ride in comfortable silence, just watching the cityscape pass by out the window. Getting closer to his apartment, Guan Shan had He Tian pull over.

“This is close enough; I’ll walk the rest of the way.” The other man just gave him a suspicious look but didn’t argue. Yet before he could get out of the car, He Tian lightly grabbed his arm and held out some money.

“Here. For the money from the other night.”

Looking at the cash, Guan Shan’s ears got hot when he counted it.

“This is way too much. I don’t want your fucking charity.” Trying to hand it back to him, He Tian simply refused.

“Consider it interest paid.” Now the dark-haired man looked at him with a soft expression. “Call me if you need anything. I mean it.”

Though he never intended to do so, Guan Shan gave the other man a small nod before finally leaving the car. He wasn’t far from his place, but the walk felt never-ending due to his exhaustion. Grateful when he eventually saw the familiar section of alley that lead to his place, he couldn’t wait to get inside and lay down. Walking up to the door, he felt his heart skip a beat when he realized it was already unlocked. _What the fuck?_ Opening the door cautiously, he braced himself for the worst. Maybe someone broke in while he was gone?

Unfortunately, once he got inside, his face blanched when he saw who was waiting for him.

“She Li?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not quite the talk we hope for yet, but Momo just needs some time to build his trust again. They will get there... eventually! 
> 
> The story is going to start heating up from here. Not next chapter, but soon we will finally find out why Momo and She Li are together. Hopefully, He Tian's ready to rumble to get little Mo back!


	8. Don't Say It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guan Shan deals with She Li, and He Tian figures out a way to know what's really going on between them.

Walking through the door, Guan Shan’s stomach twisted when he saw the silver-haired man sitting on the bed. He could already tell by the atmosphere of the room that this could get dangerous if he wasn’t careful.

“She Li?!” Panic rising, he scanned the small apartment for any of She Li’s goons. Thankfully, the other man had come alone. “W-What are you doing here?”

Instantly, the taller man stood up from the bed and stalked over to him with dark intent. Glowering, She Li's eyes flashed with anger as he cursed at him.

“Nice of you to finally fucking show up. Where the hell were you.” Not a question, a demand. “I told you not to turn your phone off.”

The other man’s fury filled his every word with venom, and Guan Shan struggled to hold his ground against the onslaught. _This was bad_. If She Li learned that he was with He Tian, they would both be in deep shit. He had to do everything he could to keep the snake from finding out... He wasn't sure why he wanted to protect He Tian so badly, but this wasn’t the time to think about that. Instead, his instincts took over, and his mouth started going before he knew what he was saying.

“What’s got your fucking panties in a twist?” Though he didn’t want to push his luck, he knew it would be more suspicious if he just relented. “My phone died, and I was visiting my Mom. Do you always have to be so up my ass?”

Unfortunately, She Li only got angrier. Slamming his hand into the wall next to Guan Shan’s head, the silver-haired man exploded.

“DON’T lie to me!” Looking him up and down, his yellow eyes narrowed. “Those aren’t the same clothes you were wearing yesterday.”

Shivering slightly with adrenaline, Guan Shan did his best to sound as calm as possible.

“So? I do have spare clothes at my Mom’s place, you know?”

“These don’t look like anything you would normally wear.” She Li seethed and gave him another look, clearly not trusting him fully. “And you’re telling me you had spare clothes, but not a spare charger?”

Though still suspicious, She Li’s anger seemed to be ebbing somewhat.

“No-fucking-duh it’s something I wouldn’t normally wear. That’s why they’re called _spare_ clothes. And I barely ever go to my Mom’s, so I don’t keep shit there.” Hoping to shift some of the scrutiny away from himself, Guan Shan decided to throw that blonde bastard under the bus as he continued. “If you’re so mad, maybe you should go bother Shen Jun about it. That bastard is the one who slipped something into one of my drinks. Because of him, I felt like shit and decided to leave early.”

Hopefully, admitting to something truthful would make the lie more believable. Now, he watched as She Li contemplated this new information. He knew the other man didn’t truly care about what happened to him, but the snake did care when other people messed with _his_ things. Backing away, the silver-haired man gave him a dark look from behind his fringe.

“I’ll let it go this time, since I like you so much. But, _don’t_ let it happen again.” The last part was spoken in a tone that had Guan Shan’s skin prickle with goosebumps. Suddenly, She Li’s expression shifted to something unreadable as he clicked his tongue. _“Tsk,_ you know, I’ve been quite busy lately. Because of you, I had to take time out of my day to come check-up on my Little Mo. Not only that, but I had a fun night planned for last night, and you spoiled that too.”

Closing the distance between them again, She Li easily pinned him up against the wall with a firm grip. Deliberately, the other man leaned in close to his ear as he whispered.

“How are you going to repay me for my time?” The larger man’s hot breath tickled Guan Shan’s ear, sending chills down his spine.

When She Li’s tongue suddenly caressed his ear, he was shaken out of his stupor. Quickly pushing the silver-haired man off him, Guan Shan walked to the other side of the room to put some distance between them.

“I didn’t fucking ask you to come, so why should I have to pay you back?!” Moving to his bed, he threw the few belongings he held to the floor. “I’m fucking tired, so I’d rather you leave.”

Instead, the larger man slid up behind him with a sing song tone.

“You always have such a nasty attitude~”

Without hesitation, the guy firmly wrapped his arms around Guan Shan's waist and shoulders, pinning him back against his chest. Being so close, he felt the other man nuzzle him and deeply inhale the scent of his hair. The strangely intimate motion had Guan Shan’s stomach tighten in a twisted sort of excitement. Unintentionally, he moved his head to expose more of his neck. Immediately, he heard She Li growl his approval as the man painfully bit the dark purple hickey marring his neck. Covering his mouth to hold back from crying out, he could feel his heartbeat start to quicken.

Now, She Li whispered huskily in his ear again.

“The sooner you give me what I want, the sooner I'll leave.”

_This guy was always so pushy..._

“Fine.” Turning to face the other man, he looked into She Li’s eyes with disdain as he spoke through gritted teeth. “But for the last time, stop fucking leaving marks on me where others can see!”

Unperturbed, She Li gave a noncommittal shrug.

“I can’t help it; I like seeing them.” His remark ended with an innocent look as if he had no clue why it was bad. _What an asshole..._

Feeling irritated, Guan Shan decided it was best not to argue about it at the moment. Instead, he hesitantly looked down at the other man’s crotch and felt his cheeks blush ever so slightly pink. Standing there waiting, it was obvious the guy wanted him to make the first move. With shaky hands, he slowly reached for She Li’s belt and looped his fingers into the leather. Fumbling a little, he finally managed to undo it, along with the fastenings of the other man’s pants. Looking up, he felt his cheeks heat up even more when he saw She Li watching him with lust-filled eyes.

“S-Stop fucking staring at me! I fucking hate it!” The stutter in his voice had She Li smirking in response, which only made him more flustered. 

To keep from embarrassing himself, Guan Shan focused his attention back to the other man's lower half. Nervous, he continued to clumsily remove She Li’s pants. As he slid them down, he saw the other man’s dick was already half-erect with anticipation. Moving to off to the side, he motioned to his bed as he spoke again.

“Get on.”

Yet, She Li remained where he was.

“No.” Instead, a sinister smile etched into his features as the guy pointed to the floor. “I want you on your knees.”

Looking the other man in the eyes, Guan Shan tried to push his anxiety down. Foolishly, he thought he had avoided the worst of She Li’s anger. Rather, he could see that the silver-haired man planned to make this hell for him.

"C'mon... Can't we just do this on the bed?" The dangerous look on the other man's face answered his question.

Reluctantly doing as he was told, Guan Shan scowled as he eased himself down on the cold, concrete floor of his apartment. Feeling the soreness from the bruises on his knees, he winced as he adjusted his weight to find a better position. In front of him, She Li moved in closer to stand near his face, and he could feel the other man’s eyes watching intensely as he lifted a shaky hand up to grip his length. Working it slowly in his grasp, he felt his embarrassment rising as She Li got harder. Hearing the guy’s breathing become heavier, he kept his head low to avoid his golden stare.

Suddenly, She Li placed a finger under Guan Shan’s chin and lifted his head to make eye contact. With a sleazy grin, the other man nodded towards his dick.

“You better not waste that.” Glancing down again, he could see that She Li’s erection was dripping precum.

Swallowing thickly, Guan Shan leaned forward as he hesitantly licked the hole of She Li’s dick and hummed when he felt the slickness slide against his tongue. Immediately, the larger man growled in approval, and he could feel his face flush with heat at the attention. This shit always made him feel awkward... Moving in again, he closed his eyes as he took the head of She Li’s cock fully in his mouth. Hearing the other man suck in a sharp breath, Guan Shan knew he surprised him. _Good, the bastard deserved it for being so full of himself._

Though he didn’t want to admit it, at least he had gotten better at this sort of thing. The more they had done it together, the easier it was for him to find She Li’s sensitive spots. Not to mention, he had gotten better at finding his own spots as well...

Now, Guan Shan took his time to really work him. Using both his hand and his mouth in tandem, he used his tongue to put pressure on all the necessary places. The muffled moans from the man above him, coupled with the taste of more precum, had Guan Shan’s excitement growing too. Annoyingly, the tightening in his own jeans was starting to get uncomfortable. Unable to undo the button with only one hand, he instead reached down with his free hand to rub the bulge in his pants. Instantly, the friction caused a moan to escape him, vibrating around She Li’s length.

 _"Nnngh...”_ Abruptly, the snake gripped Guan Shan’s hair with a rough pull. Startled, he looked up into the other man’s smirking face with wide eyes.

“Such a pervert~” Laughing slightly, She Li tightened his grip, causing him to wince. “Tell me, why should I let you enjoy yourself after you disobeyed me?”

Thrusting deep into his mouth, Guan Shan gagged at the sudden movement. Feeling the sting of tears in his eyes, he grasped at the hand entwined in his hair. At the same time, he was using his other hand to try and push She Li’s hips away from him. However, his attempts were in vain as She Li’s iron grip kept him in place. Now, the other man started moving of his own accord, fucking his mouth.

Feeling his panic rising, he knew this was what She Li wanted; he liked to watch him squirm. Trying to even out his breathing, he gripped She Li’s wrist tighter when he started to see black spots dance across his vision. Relenting a little, She Li stopped moving and let him catch his breath. Feeling lightheaded, Guan Shan tried to speak, but his words were muffled by the other man’s dick still in his mouth.

The ecstasy in She Li’s voice was thick.

“Didn’t anyone teach you not to talk with your mouth full?” With a shuddering breath, the other man pushed into his mouth as far as he could go.

Feeling the pressure in the back of his throat, Guan Shan gagged again. In response, She Li’s cock twitched with excitement. In one fluent motion, the larger man retracted to the tip and plunged in deep once more with a low groan. This time, he felt suffocated as She Li came into the back of his mouth. Trying his best to swallow it all, he felt some cum escape his lips and dribble down his chin.

After what felt like ages, She Li’s orgasm finally ended, and he released his grip. Finally able to pull his mouth off She Li’s length, he coughed as he wiped the cum from his face. Unfortunately, the coughing fit only seemed to make his lightheadedness worse. Leaning back on the side of his bed, he could feel the tears in his eyes overflow and roll down his cheeks. Looking up at the other man with red-rimmed eyes, Guan Shan spat at him as he flashed his teeth.

“ _Cough, cough –_ you're such – _cough –_ an-ass...” Now, his vision was starting to blur. It seemed like the last couple of days had finally caught up to him.

After fixing himself back into his pants, She Li bent down in front of Guan Shan when he didn’t get off the floor.

“Has Little Mo been neglecting his health lately?” Scrutinizing him, the other man scowled when Guan Shan barely argued back.

“Seriously, just fuck off for once...” His words lacked their usual bite.

Head spinning, all he could think about was the need to get on the bed, but he felt unusually weak. With his body at its limit, he could feel himself slumping to the side as his vision darkened. He expected to hit the concrete floor hard, but something caught him halfway. Bracing himself against She Li’s arm, he heard the silver-haired man say something but couldn’t quite understand what it was.

“What?” Guan Shan squinted at the other man as if the answer would be written on his face. With an annoyed huff, the silver-haired man repeated himself.

“I said, I’m taking you to my place.” Suddenly, the room spun wildly as he was lifted up. Upset, Guan Shan weakly tried pushing out of the guy's hold.

“I don’t fucking want to.” Not slowing down, She Li ignored him as he kept talking. “Will you just let me sleep... I’ll be fine.”

Finally snapping, She Li narrowed his eyes.

“Shut up.” The taller man’s tone held a silent warning telling him to stop pushing it.

Sighing, Guan Shan wondered how he always managed to get himself into these situations. _This had been a_ _really bad few days_ _..._

* * *

After letting Mo out of his car, He Tian had sat there and watched the other man’s retreating back escape down the street. Taking the chance to look him over, He Tian’s eyes lingered over the redhead’s body. Despite being more filled out than he used to be, Mo still had a faint gauntness to him for his height. If last night was any clue, it was obvious that the redhead wasn’t taking proper care of himself. With a sigh, he leaned back in his seat once the smaller man was out of sight.

After he had found Little Mo so out of it last night, He Tian had let the other two men know what was going on. Though now, he kind of regretted it...

Pulling out his phone, he frowned at the screen; Jian Yi kept blowing up his inbox with texts all morning, and the guy was being overly nosy. Dialing the other man’s number, the thing didn’t even ring for a full cycle before the concerned voice of the blonde sounded out over the speaker.

“ _What’s going on!? Is Redhead alright!?”_

Though Jian Yi couldn’t see it, He Tian couldn’t stop his smirk as he teased the guy.

“But darling, what about me~” He could easily visualize the other man’s stone face as he replied in a flat tone.

“ _Who cares about an idiot like you? If you’re that desperate for attention, I can get you the number to one of those hotlines for lonely old men.”_ Now Jian Yi’s tone turned serious again. “ _But really, is Mo okay?”_

Not sure where to start, his silence spoke for itself. Eventually, he settled on what he wanted to say.

“Well, he’s not great.” Rubbing his eyes with his free hand, He Tian rested his head back on his seat again as he continued. “Something’s obviously going on, but he’s being typical Little Mo. Stubborn as fuck.”

At that, he heard a light laugh on the other end.

“ _We both know you like that about him. That’s also why he can put up with someone like you.”_

“Yeah, I do like that.” He Tian smiled to himself at the thought. “But it’s not ideal when he makes it harder for us to help him.”

_“I’m surprised you didn’t force him to stay at your place for a couple of days?”_

Frowning now, He Tian looked out his side window.

“You know how he is though; if you pressure him too much, he pushes away. It’s better to let him come to us on his own, within reason that is.”

Now, Jian Yi’s tone sounded worried again.

_“But if he was as bad as you were saying last night, do you think it’s safe to leave him where he is?”_

Thinking it over, the slight tension in his stomach returned from last night. He had a bad feeling about this whole situation, but he also wanted to respect Mo’s space. He didn’t want to push him too far, or else it would end as it had two years ago...

“You might be right, but when Little Mo doesn’t want to do something, there’s not much I can do to convince him otherwise.”

He could practically hear the eye roll in Jian Yi’s words.

_“As if that’s ever stopped you before? Just go drag him back to your place kicking and screaming like you used to!”_

Humoring him, He Tian laughed again.

“Oh sure~ I bet he would just _love_ that. But regardless, I’ll let you know if anything new happens.” Shifting in his seat, he spoke in a low tone. “Why don’t you go bother Zhan Zheng Xi? I’m sure you can drag him into your room kicking and screaming for some alone time~”

“ _Do you ever shut up!?”_ The slight embarrassment in the other man’s voice had him smirking in satisfaction. “ _I only asked you for advice once and that was enough!”_

The two of them shared a laugh at the memory and idly chatted for a little longer. He Tian tried to keep it brief, but the other man was certainly a talker. Eventually saying their goodbyes, he hung up the phone and looked out his window again. Though he started the car, a nagging feeling kept him from putting it into gear. Something didn’t feel right, and normally his gut feelings had merit to them.

Turning the car off again, he sat there contemplating what to do. Convincing himself it was just going to be a quick visit, he decided to at least go and check on the redhead at his place. Walking down the street in the same direction Mo had gone, he had to remember exactly how to get all the way there. Finally, he found the back alley that led to where the smaller man’s apartment was. Yet as he was approaching, he heard the noise of a car engine at the other end of the alleyway. Tensing up, he slowed his pace and kept back out of sight as he made his way closer.

Nearing the apartment, he was able to see a fancy black car and someone bending in front of the open passenger-side door. Watching the person, He Tian’s anger surged when he saw the telltale silver hair of that bastard snake as he stood back from the car. _What the fuck was he doing here..._ Looking a little closer, He Tian’s heart clenched when he saw the slumped form of Mo sitting in the passenger seat. Unfortunately, he didn’t get a good look at him before She Li shut the door, cutting off his line of sight.

Feeling his adrenaline spike, he wanted to run over and take Mo out of that man’s disgusting hands. Yet by the time he collected his thoughts, She Li had already rounded the front of the car and got into the driver’s seat. He knew he wouldn’t make it in time to do anything. As the car drove away, He Tian’s stomach sank when the vehicle disappeared from view.

“Fuck!” Clenching his fists so tightly, he felt his nails digging into his skin. He Tian’s mind was racing. Why the fuck hadn’t he listened to his instincts sooner!? Thinking it over, he could only imagine one place that the snake could be taking him.

Quickly texting Jian Yi, he practically ran back to his car hoping to catch them.

_He Tian: ‘The snake took Mo from his apartment. Going to try and catch them.’_

To his surprise, his phone buzzed almost immediately.

_Jian Yi: ‘DON’T GO AFTER THEM!!’_

_Jian Yi: ‘Don’t be dumb! She Li has too many jerks following him around, and it’s too dangerous to follow them alone!’_

_Jian Yi: ‘Besides, they’re_ technically _together. You don’t know if maybe they had planned to meet up?’_

Feeling irritated by his helplessness, he replied a little more harshly than he had meant to.

_He Tian: ‘You didn’t see Mo this morning when he saw the texts on his phone. He looked scared, and I know it was because of that bastard.’_

_Jian Yi: ‘I know you’re upset, but will you please just come back to Zhan_ _Xixi’s_ _? Let’s talk this out together and make a plan!’_

He Tian didn’t bother replying; he couldn’t just leave Mo with that jerk. Making it back to his car, he drove rather recklessly until he was near the club. His rage clouded his thoughts as he stalked towards the entrance of _'The Devil’s House.'_ However, he didn’t make it very far when he felt someone grab his arm. Instinctively, he reared back ready to loose his fist on the unfortunate soul who happened to cross his path. Yet, the small man in front of him held his hands up in surrender as he whispered.

“What are you doing here!?”

Looking more closely, He Tian lowered his arm when recognition finally dawned on him.

“Buzzcut?”

Now that Cun Tou saw that He Tian knew who he was, he grabbed his arm again and started pulling him away from the club.

“You can’t be caught here! If one of She Li’s guys-” Ripping his arm out of the other man’s grasp, He Tian looked him dead in the eyes.

“Is She Li in there?!” His anger was boiling over again, and he tried his best not to sound unhinged.

Cun Tou looked at him now with confusion.

“No, he’s not?” Looking around again, the smaller man ushered him to follow. “But seriously, you need to get out of here. If someone finds you, it’ll be bad news.”

Shaking his head, He Tian remained where he was.

“I’m not leaving until I find Little Mo. I saw that bastard She Li take him from his apartment.”

Suddenly, the other man’s face blanched.

“Boss is with She Li?” Looking at his phone, Cun Tou typed something quickly before he continued. “If you don’t leave soon, you could end up making things worse for Brother Mo.”

Watching him, He Tian narrowed his eyes.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Embarrassed, Cun Tou averted his gaze.

“Look, I know how the Boss feels about you. If you got into trouble with She Li, he would use you to hurt Brother Mo.”

Hearing that, He Tian felt his stomach twist.

“Do you know what’s going on between them?” Watching the other man shift his stance nervously, he continued to press him. “Something doesn’t feel right, but Brother Mo won’t tell me. I know him, and I know when something is wrong.”

Keeping his eyes low, Cun Tou whispered under his breath.

“It’s complicated... She Li’s not the kind of guy you just walk away from.”

Grabbing the other man’s shoulders, He Tian could feel that this may be his only chance at finding out the truth.

“I promise to leave with you if you tell me what’s going on.”

Looking at him with wide eyes, Cun Tou stuttered nervously.

“I-I don’t know... Boss would get m-mad if he found out I said anything.”

Not in the mood to play games, He Tian gave him a dark look.

“Tell me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter we will FINALLY know what's going on between these two. It's going to be a longer chapter, so I hope you're ready~
> 
> Let me know how you're liking the story so far! I actually never meant for it to be so long/complicated, but the more I wrote, the more I enjoyed the story hehe


	9. The Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is another flashback chapter focusing on the few months after He Tian's disappearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We will finally know what's up with She Li and Mo! If anyone is confused as to who the men are, check chapter 242 😉

With the early morning rays of sun filtering through his blinds, Guan Shan laid in bed as the alarm on his phone kept blaring. It was the first day of high school, and he wanted to throw the damned device across the room. In his grogginess, he managed to silence the alarm after fumbling around a bit. Rolling over in his bed, he roughly rubbed his face with a sigh.

Ever since he had... _done it_ with He Tian, his mind had been in utter chaos. Unable to sort through his thoughts and feelings, he laid awake pretty much the entire night. Still conflicted, he couldn’t believe he let that guy get so close to him; he seldom let his guard down like that... Now, the dull ache in his ass was a constant reminder of what they had done, and he couldn’t stop thinking about He Tian’s dumb face when he had left the apartment.

 _Fuck..._ How was he going to face that dark-haired bastard at school today? To his annoyance, the alarm started to ring out with its second reminder.

 _“Arrgh,_ shut up!!” Turning it off, Guan Shan dragged himself out of bed. Despite being exhausted, there was no point in delaying the inevitable.

Grumbling to himself, he got dressed in record time and practically sprinted from his room to the front door. Not wanting to explain to his mom why he was in a bad mood, he decided to skip breakfast and head to school early for once. In a rush, he stepped out into the cool morning air and took a deep breath to help clear his head. With it being so early, that meant he could take his time getting to school, and he ended up stopping at a convenience store for a light snack. Thankfully, the little bit of food helped him to feel marginally better compared to when he first woke up.

However, the closer he got to school, the more his stomach filled with dread. If it wasn’t the first day, he would skip just to avoid seeing that idiot. _Ugh... This was going to be awkward._ Eventually reaching the front gates of the school, he cringed when he saw those other two chicken dicks hanging all over each other. Hoping to avoid being spotted, he went to slip by when he heard Jian Yi’s irritatingly joyful voice.

“Redhead!” Sprinting over to him, the blonde practically jumped onto his back as he joked. “Wow, you’re here early on the first day of school! So studious of you~”

Trying to remove the smaller boy’s arm from around his shoulders, Guan Shan replied with a fiery tone.

“Fuck! Will you get the fuck off me!?”

As usual, Jian Yi just ignored his efforts and draped over him even more.

“Hey! Have you seen He Tian? I was hoping he could buy us all breakfast to celebrate the first day of high school!”

Feeling his cheeks heat up at the mention of the other boy, Guan Shan snapped.

“Why the fuck would I know where that bastard is? I’m not his keeper.” Forcefully shrugging the blonde boy off of him now, he stalked off towards the main building. From behind, he heard Jian Yi whine to Zhan Zheng Xi beside him.

“ _Hmpf!_ What’s his problem!? Those two are like an old married couple, always fighting!"

Still pissed as he walked away, Guan Shan decided it was best to just ignore them. After all, one look at Jian Yi’s pouting face would make him want to punch the guy... Trying to push all of his annoying thoughts from his mind, he made it to his homeroom and sighed in relief. It was a miracle that he hadn’t crossed paths with He Tian yet, and he hoped to keep it that way. However, to his surprise, the day flew by without a single incident. In fact, that dumbass didn’t even come to the first day of school! Though he didn’t want to see the jerk, he felt irritated that the guy played hooky to avoid _him!_

By the time the day finally ended, Guan Shan’s mood had soured considerably. He ended up brushing the other two boys off when they asked to hang out. Instead, he took the time to fume over that raven-haired jerk on his way home. Once he had finally gotten to his room, he sat on his bed with his phone in hand. Normally, He Tian would have blown up his texts all day like it was his job to annoy him. However, he hadn’t gotten a single message since the other night.

Not that he cared, or anything...

Opening He Tian’s messages, he stared at the screen. His fingers hovered over the keyboard while he contemplated if he was going to text him first. Eventually, he gave in and typed something simple.

_Guan Shan: ‘You better not expect me to bring you the stuff you missed today.’_

Feeling a little nervous, his heart skipped a beat when he finally hit send. Putting his phone down, he rolled over in his bed.

“Stupid idiot. Like I care if he comes to school or not.” Still confused about how he felt, he defaulted to his usual gruff demeanor even though he was alone in his room.

For him, the weirdest part of this whole situation was that no one had ever shown any interest in him before. Most people avoided him; either thinking he was a delinquent, or being pushed away by Guan Shan himself before they could get to know him. It had always been that way, ever since he was little. That was why He Tian’s interest felt so strange. Normally, the only people who bothered to stick around usually just wanted something from him...

Getting depressed, he squeezed his eyes shut and groaned, not wanting to think about it anymore. Laying on his side, memories of the other night suddenly flashed through his mind again. As clear as when it happened, the image of He Tian positioned above him with flushed cheeks had a jolt run straight down to his crotch. Cursing under his breath, Guan Shan’s cheeks grew hot from embarrassment. Why was he thinking about that?

Feeling his stomach twist, he tried to ignore the obvious hard-on he felt getting stiffer in his pants. There was no way he was actually getting hard thinking about another guy? Frustrated, he attempted to shift positions, but the material of his jeans kept rubbing his dick in a way that begged for his attention. Annoyingly, it didn’t matter how long he tried to think about other things, it just wouldn’t go away. Eventually, he decided it would just be better to rub one out and get it over with.

Going to his closet, Guan Shan grabbed one of the magazines he kept there and flipped through the pages. When he finally found a photo he liked, he started to undo his pants. Sliding down his underwear, he pulled out his erection and began working it in his grip. Touching himself, his breathing became heavier as his body got more excited. Yet, even though his dick got harder, he realized he couldn’t get all the way there. Confused, he tried finding a new picture in hopes to spur himself on, but nothing seemed to work.

“Fuck...” Slowing down his hand, he stared up at the ceiling. What the fuck was wrong with him? Giving up on the magazine, he let it drop to the floor with a dull thud. Still gently stroking himself, his mind absently wandered back to the other night. How had He Tian done it with him?

Uncertain of himself, Guan Shan took off his shirt and discarded it on the floor next to the bed. Slowly bringing his free hand up to his chest, he swallowed his embarrassment as he lightly thumbed one of his nipples. The sudden shiver that ran down his spine had him hissing out a shuddering breath. Doing it again, he felt his dick twitch in his hand, and he bit his bottom lip to stifle his moan.

Closing his eyes as he worked himself again, the image of He Tian gripping his length had his hips bucking into the air. Feeling the tension in his stomach grow, he quietly cursed when he pictured the muscular boy eyeing him hungrily.

“Oh, fuck...” The word's fell from his mouth in a hushed whisper.

Now, his hand was moving faster, desperate to bring him to release. In his head, the dark-haired boy slowly leaned over his crotch until his hot, wet mouth...

 _“He Tian...!"_ The orgasm shivered through him hard, and he clamped his hand over his mouth to keep quiet. _"Nnnghh!!”_

Feeling the sensation of warm cum hitting his stomach, he could feel his skin tighten with goosebumps. Letting his body twitch with the last bits of pleasure, he could feel his muscles relax as his breathing slowly evened out. Laying there, he suddenly realized what he had just done; he actually masturbated to that dark-haired bastard...

Covering his face with his hands, his whole body flushed with embarrassment. If He Tian ever found out that he-!

The sudden vibration of his phone had his heart skip a beat, breaking his train of thought. A little more eagerly than he would admit, he quickly checked his notifications and scowled. Turns out, it was just that dumbass Jian Yi sending a stupid text to the group chat. With annoyance, he decided not to answer and threw the device to the floor.

Why did he feel so disappointed? It wasn’t like he wanted a text from anyone...

 _"Ughhhh!”_ Rubbing his eyes, Guan Shan’s mind felt all jumbled like it had been last night. Quickly cleaning himself up, he rolled onto his side again, deciding not to think about it for now. Forcing his eyes shut, he wished he could just turn off his mind and fall asleep.

_Hopefully, tomorrow would be better..._

* * *

Feeling lost, Guan Shan couldn’t believe how quickly things had gone to shit over the last few months. Not only did He Tian never end up coming back to school, but Jian Yi also disappeared on the second day. At first, he figured that the dark-haired boy was just pouting about that night... Yet, the more days that went by without a word from either boy, the more worried Zhan Zheng Xi and he got. Weirdly, no one from the school seemed concerned; it was as if they never existed.

Even weirder, Zheng Xi couldn’t get in touch with either Jian Yi or his mom. It was one thing for He Tian to ignore him while he pouted, but he doubted Jian Yi could stop texting Zheng Xi for more than five minutes. Though, Guan Shan had equally shitty luck with reaching He Tian. With irritation masking the worry, the weight on his chest grew with each of his texts that went unanswered.

Of course, after their two friends had disappeared, Guan Shan and Zheng Xi had tried looking for them, but there was only so much they could do on their own. Eventually, days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months with no leads. In the end, they had to face the hard truth; He Tian and Jian Yi were gone. At first, he had been keeping in touch with Zhan Zheng Xi. Mainly, they would bump into each other at school, but the two of them were too awkward together. In the end, they just sort of drifted apart without the other two there to hold them together.

If he was being honest, the main source of contention between them was the way they both handled the situation. Zheng Xi kept wanting to talk about it, but Guan Shan just wanted to forget and move on. Though deep down he had been upset by He Tian’s disappearance, he had buried his feelings.

Instead, he decided to pick up a couple of part-time jobs, mainly to keep his mind from wandering to places he didn’t want to visit. Sticking to a routine and working himself to the point of exhaustion, the months had moved quickly. Keeping as little free time as possible, he managed to save up a decent amount of money. Unfortunately, today was one of the rare days where he didn’t have a shift at either job. Even though he didn’t have work, he didn’t want to go home either. Every time his mom saw him, she would give him these sad eyes that made him feel overwhelmingly guilty for worrying her. Not to mention that anytime he was alone in his room, he would think about _those_ kinds of things...

Rather, Guan Shan opted to avoid the problem as usual.

At the moment, he decided to walk around town looking for something to do. Yet, true to his shitty luck, it didn’t take long for trouble to find him; he was like a magnet for bad situations. Taking a shortcut down one of the back alleys, he heard the muffled sounds of someone talking. As he drew closer, he realized the sounds were actually someone _begging._

“P-Please, just l-let m’go!” Around the corner, Guan Shan could see three older men threatening a younger boy.

Normally, he knew better than to stick his nose where it didn’t belong, but the smaller man had this _look_ on his face... Maybe it was because the guy reminded him of himself, but something made Guan Shan spring into action before he could think it through. Walking up behind them, he yelled out to the group.

“Hey! Why don’t you stop ganging up on people unfairly?” Instantly, the three older men whipped around to look at him, who was standing at the other end of the alley.

The leader of the trio snarled out as he puffed up his chest.

“Why don’t punks like you learn to mind their own business!?” Suddenly, Guan Shan and the man locked eyes and realization dawned on both of them. _Fuck._ “Hey... You’re that BRAT from before!”

In front of him stood the man from that night; when he and He Tian had fought off the gang that sent him to the hospital. This was the worst possible scenario. Without hesitation, the older man threw his previous target to the ground and dismissed him with a wave. The scared younger boy only spared Guan Shan a quick glance before he sprinted from the alley.

_Yeah, you’re fucking welcome! Asshole..._

Now, his stomach filled with dread as the trio started closing the distance between them. Laughing, the grey-haired boss sneered.

“I’ve actually been looking all over for you. Why don’t you say we have a little talk?”

Feeling his heart rate spike, Guan Shan’s fight or flight kicked in. Though he usually stood his ground, considering what happened last time, he couldn't afford another hospital visit. Turning to run, he ran straight into the chest of another lackey that had moved in behind him. With a sleazy grin, the guy he bumped into grabbed his shirt collar.

“Don’t run, we’re just looking for a chat~”

He didn’t even have a chance to fight back when another man moved in. With strong arms, the largest of them pinned Guan Shan to his chest as the leader came nose to nose with him. Looking him in the eyes, he could feel the grey-haired man's disgusting breath on his face as he spoke.

“You’re walking around with some pretty big fucking balls, kid.”

Though he was scared, Guan Shan flashed his teeth and put forward his best bravado.

“Fuck off! At least I don’t pick on people smaller than me to make myself feel better.”

Grabbing Guan Shan by the neck, the older man leaned in even closer.

“Don’t push your luck.” The threat wasn’t empty, and he felt the man’s grip tighten around his throat as he continued. “Now that that other brat’s family is out of the picture, you’ve got nothing left protecting you.”

Was he talking about He Tian’s family? What the fuck was that supposed to mean? Seeing the confusion on his face, the older man laughed cynically.

“You thought because you had friends in high places, that meant you could skip out on your debt?”

Letting go of his throat, Guan Shan couldn’t keep from coughing.

“ _Cough_ –What – _cough, cough_ – debt?” Clearing his throat, his voice sounded raspy. “I don’t owe you – _cough_ – anything.”

Now the man's laugh turned loud and harsh.

“That’s where you’re wrong. Not only does your good-for-nothing mother still owe us for your father’s debt, but now you owe us for all of the trouble you caused that night.”

Hearing the mention of his mom, Guan Shan’s anger boiled over.

“Don’t talk about my mom with your disgusting mouth!” His response earned him a solid punch in the stomach. _“Arghh...”_

Angry, the older man clenched his jaw as he seethed.

“Obviously, we weren’t clear enough last time. You don’t have a choice.” Looking at the other men, the grey-haired leader smirked as he continued. “My previous offer still stands; if she can’t pay the debt, she could always take some customers. Or with a face like yours, you could always take her place?"

Feeling his anger rising again, Guan Shan stomped down on the foot of the man holding him. The surprise caused the man to loosen his grip just enough for him to break free. Seeing red, he wasn’t even thinking when he jumped forward and landed a solid blow to the boss' nose. Unfortunately, he didn’t get much farther than that before he was roughly grabbed and thrown to the ground.

Above him, the older man wiped the blood from his bruised nose and spit at Guan Shan.

“Are you looking for another ass beating?” At that, one of the subordinates landed a hard kick to Guan Shan’s side. The force of the hit knocked the wind from his lungs, and he gasped for air as he curled in on himself. Signaling with his hand, the boss stopped his lackey from landing another blow. With steel eyes, the older man bent down to Guan Shan’s level as he addressed him. “You’ve got one week to give us an answer, and we can discuss how you’re going to repay us. Don't worry, we'll come to find you~”

Standing, the leader of the group motioned for the other men to follow as he walked away. Around him, their laughter echoed as they left the alley.

Alone now, Guan Shan remained on the ground for a while. Mainly, he was trying to calm his racing mind, but he also hadn’t physically recovered from that kick. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he finally sat up with a groan. Gripping his side, he winced at the sore spot; there was going to be a nasty bruise covering his ribs in the morning. What the fuck was he going to do?

Standing up on shaky legs, he used the alley wall to steady himself. Checking to make sure he was truly alone, he knew he had to get out of there before someone else stumbled upon him. Walking down one of the empty side streets, he hadn’t even been paying attention to where he was going. Believing he had gone far enough, his energy started to waiver. Feeling unsteady on his feet, he finally stopped when he found a railing to lean against.

Sitting there, he could feel his stress bubbling in his chest again. Trying to take a deep breath to calm himself, his sore ribs reminded him of his bruising side as he winced. Now, the sting of tears and uneven breathing washed over him; he felt totally, and utterly, alone. Wiping his eyes, he cursed himself for being so stupid. It was a bad idea to stick his neck out like that, but he was always so fucking impulsive.

Pulling out his phone, he had to blink until his vision was clear so he could see the screen. Though he hated relying on other people, his mind was so jumbled that he didn't know what else to do. Opening his text log with He Tian, he typed out a message before he could really think it through. Even though he knew he wouldn’t get a response, he couldn’t stop himself before he hit send.

_Guan Shan: ‘Idiot, I didn’t mean to upset you that much. I needed time to myself after everything that had happened, but that doesn’t mean I hate you.’_

_Guan Shan: ‘Just, come back quickly.’_

Putting his phone away, he stuffed his hands into his pockets to keep them from shaking. He didn’t know what he was expecting; he wasn’t stupid enough to think He Tian would just appear and magically fix things. Yet, just having the idiot around made him feel... comforted? Not that he really wanted to talk about it or anything, but the guy just had a presence about him. Something that made him feel less alone when he was there. 

Even if he acted like He Tian was always bothering him, it wasn’t like he wanted the dumbass to just up and vanish. Though this time was longer, the dark-haired boy had disappeared once before and came back. Sighing, Guan Shan knew there was nothing he could do other than trust that He Tian would come back eventually. Having calmed down some, he decided it was best to head home.

Yet, to his dismay, even once he made it home, his anxiety had been so high that he couldn't calm his nerves. With everything that had happened, he had tried to think of a plan and ended up lying awake all night. Now that it was morning, he knew he had to get up.

Exhausted, he dragged himself out of bed to get ready for school. Though he didn’t want to go, he knew his mom would worry if he stayed home. Not to mention, the safest place he could be was on school grounds, even if he hated it there... The only good thing about being so tired was that the day ended up flying by in a blur. Sitting through the first half of his classes, he couldn't shake the odd feeling he had.

 _Everything felt too normal._ If his side wasn't still sore, he might have even believed that last night was just a dream.

Now that it was lunchtime, he was happy to finally be able to get some fresh air. Wasting no time, he grabbed a sandwich from the cafeteria and headed out to the green. Choosing a shady spot by the bushes, he leaned against the building wall while he quietly ate his lunch. Suddenly, he felt the presence of someone slide up next to him. Not in the mood to be bothered, Guan Shan snarled without looking up.

“You're ruining my lunch, go stand somewhere else!”

Unfortunately, his felt his stomach drop when he heard a familiar voice next to him.

“Is that any way to talk to an old friend~” Whipping around, Guan Shan's heart clenched when he saw She Li leaning against the wall. Clearly enjoying his discomfort, the silver-haired boy gave him his typical dark smirk as he continued. “A little birdy told me some interesting news about you. Thought we might want to have a little chat?”

With nowhere to run, he could feel his adrenaline spike. Trying to dissuade the snake from bothering him, he put on a gruffer demeanor than usual.

“I don’t give a fuck what news you heard. You should mind your own business.” Attempting to leave, he felt a firm arm slide along his shoulders that locked him in place.

“Always so ferocious, aren't you? In fact, this is my business, but why don’t we take this somewhere private~”

She Li knew that Guan Shan couldn’t avoid him at school. That was why the bastard looked so smug as he dragged him to the utility shed near the sports fields. Pulling him inside, the larger boy finally released him as he walked to lean against some of the sports equipment. Looking at the other goons gathered in the small shed, he could feel himself start to sweat as he wiped his palms on his pants. One wrong move and he was in for a bad time...

Getting antsy, Guan Shan was the first to speak.

“What the fuck do you want?” Now, he crossed his arms over his chest, subconsciously taking on a defensive posture.

With a nonchalant tilt of his head, She Li addressed him as if he was bored.

“Someone told me that you recently had a run-in with a rival gang of mine. Not only that, but they also threatened you for money.” Instantly, the color drained from his face. _How the fuck did he find out?_ “Why do you look so surprised? Of course, I’d be keeping my eye on you, Little Mo~”

Off to the right, Guan Shan could see someone shifting nervously. Sparing a glance, his eyes went wide when he recognized the young boy he saw in the alley last night. _So, he must have told the snake what happened..._ Straightening up, he tried to make himself sound as unconcerned as possible when he spoke.

“Look, I don’t know what you heard, but it isn’t true.” He’d be damned if he let this bastard see him in a vulnerable position.

With a stark laugh, She Li stood and closed the distance between them.

“You’re such a bad liar~” Looking him up and down with a lingering gaze, the silver-haired boy continued. “I know about your family’s debt, and I wanted to offer you a deal.”

Guan Shan couldn’t hide his confusion.

“W-What are you talking about?” Though he had known that his parents were in debt from the restaurant, even he didn’t know the details. All he knew was that it was a significant amount, and they had connections to several bad people.

Now, She Li gave him a fierce scowl.

“Don’t play dumb.” Turning away from him, the silver-haired boy went back to where he was previously sitting. “Since I’m such a nice guy, I wanted to help Little Mo out of a tight spot. I mean, what else are friends for?”

“No thanks. I’m not interested in anything you have to offer.” Guan Shan’s frown deepened. “And we aren’t friends.”

She Li just smiled back at him with a sinister stare.

“And what would you describe as a friend then? Those idiots that you used to hang around with? From where I’m sitting, I don’t think they would up and leave like they had if they were truly your friends. Not to mention, I don't see you running to your other ' _friends_ ' for help.”

Not wanting to think about it, Guan Shan’s anger flared.

“Will you just shut up!?” Though he knew he shouldn’t play into the guy's words, he couldn’t help it; his emotions were still raw about the subject.

With a sneer, She Li knew he had hit a nerve.

“Oh, a little sensitive about it, are we?” Looking him over with calculating eyes, the snake shrugged. “Well, you don’t have to take the offer right now. I know how stubborn you can be~ Just remember, I’ll always be waiting for when you need me.”

Without another word, Guan Shan was dismissed with a nod of She Li’s head. Not wanting to stick around any longer than he had to, he brushed past the guys blocking the door. Leaving the utility shed, he was almost across the green when he heard a quiet voice.

“Boss!” Behind him, Buzzcut ran to catch up to him. Not in the mood to talk, he didn’t slow his stride. However, the smaller boy still managed to match his pace as he popped up next to him. Slightly out of breath, Cun Tou reached for his arm to stop him. “Hey! Boss, will you slow down?”

Whipping around, Guan Shan’s frustration from the past few weeks boiled over.

“Will you stop calling me Boss!?” The hurt look on the smaller boy’s face made him feel guilty.

“Okay, Brother Mo...” Averting his eyes, Cun Tou continued. “I-I just wanted to make sure you were alright? Was what She Li said about your family’s debt true?”

Turning away from the other boy, Guan Shan kept his voice low.

“Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong. It'll only lead to more trouble.” Not giving the other boy a chance to say anything else, he quickly stormed off.

Walking towards the gates, he decided to leave early. Being in such a foul mood, he just couldn’t bring himself to sit in his classes for the rest of the day. Though he knew he was in deep shit, he was too prideful to rely on someone else to take care of his problems. Let alone someone like She Li; the guy never offered anything without consequences.

Walking home, he knew he had to figure something out...

* * *

Over the last couple of days, Guan Shan spent most of his time trying to find decent-paying jobs. Unfortunately, most of them wanted workers during the week while he would be at school. Though he could skip a few days, it still wouldn’t be enough to make sure he could pay off those men. If he was being honest with himself, he knew he was running out of options. Despite that, he didn't want to just give up. There had to be something he could do to turn this situation around?

Thinking it over on his way home from school, he approached his apartment building. Unfortunately, as he got closer, he saw someone leaning against the wall near his stairway. Instantly, his stomach twisted with anxiety when he realized it was the grey-haired older man from the other night. Even worse, nearby were a few of his underlings that he clearly brought for backup.

Cursing himself under his breath, Guan Shan hadn't even realized that a week had passed since that night. _Fuck._

The only positive thing about the current situation was that his mom hadn't gotten home from work yet. Though he knew he should tell her, he hoped he could solve it on his own before it got to this point. He hated the fact that his mom was always stressed out, and he didn’t want to worry her even more. With his nerves on edge as he walked up to the gang, the grey-haired man smiled wide when he saw him.

“There you are~ For a minute, I thought you might have left town when no one answered the door.” Walking over to him, the older man put his arm around Guan Shan’s shoulders. “How about you invite us inside so we can talk privately?”

Shaking slightly with adrenaline, he shook his head; there was no way he was going to let these guys into his home.

“N-No. Can’t we talk somewhere else?” Even though he knew it was a bad idea, he didn’t have much choice.

Now, the older man smirked and nodded his head towards the road. With a slight hesitation, Guan Shan followed the men down one of the side alleys near his building. Once they were out of sight from any passersby, the grey-haired man turned to him with a serious look as he spoke.

“No more playing games. Tell me, what's your offer?”

With his heart beating in his ears, he swallowed his anxiety.

“I-I can do monthly payments-”

Before he could even finish his sentence, the whole group burst into laughter. Wiping his eye, the boss looked at him with disbelief.

“Heh, you'd have to be some kind of idiot to think we’d want any of your small-time money. As if a kid like you could even get us a substantial amount in a month!”

With his anger surging, he scowled at the guy while he clenched his fists; he hated it when people looked down on him.

“Fuck you! Do you want the money or not!?” Now, the older man’s face turned deadly serious.

“Of course, we’re going to get our money one way or another.” Nodding towards the other men, the leader smirked as they began closing in on Guan Shan. “I told you before, you and your mom could make us money by taking some customers. Much more than you’d ever be able to scrounge up with your measly part-time jobs.”

 _This was going south, fast..._ Panicking, he tried to back away, but two of the men grabbed his arms and held him in place. With a laugh, the leader grabbed Guan Shan’s face with a firm hand.

“Don’t look so scared, I’m sure you’ll end up liking it~”

Looking at the older man with wide eyes, he pleaded with the guy.

“W-Wait! I’ll do weekly payments, whatever you want. Just tell me how much, and I’ll do it!”

Unamused, the leader scowled again.

“I already told you, we don’t want your pathetic payments. If anything, I want to see you suffer as payback for the trouble you caused us.” Turning around, the boss waved for his men to follow. “Let’s get him to the club...”

Suddenly, Guan Shan felt himself being dragged along, and his stomach dropped as he realized he only had one option left. With one last-ditch effort, he dug his heels in and shouted.

“Wait!” To his surprise, the group stopped and looked at him. Looking down at the ground, he could feel the shame in his heart at what he was about to do. “What if I got you the full amount?”

This piqued the older man’s interest, but he laughed nonetheless.

“Stop blowing smoke up my ass. There’s no way a runt like you could get that much money.”

Swallowing thickly, he looked up and held the other man’s gaze.

“I can, but I need another day.” His voice sounded shaky, but he tried to keep his face neutral. “If I’m lying, you know where I live, and I won't run. Just please... give me one more day.”

Slightly suspicious, the grey-haired man rubbed his chin as he thought about it. With a small nod from the boss, Guan Shan felt the two men release their hold on him and back away. Now, the leader spoke in a surly tone.

“You know what? I’m in a good mood today, and I think you’re pretty funny for a punk. I’ll give you the extra day, but _don’t_ make me regret it.”

Taking a deep breath, he could feel a chill run down his spine at the last sentence. Though he bought himself some time, he hadn't solved anything yet.

Standing in the alley, Guan Shan watched as the group of men left. Letting out a sigh, he could feel his head start to pound with stress. Hoping to quell some of his nerves, he began to pace back and forth. Was he actually about to do this? Pulling out his phone, he stared at the screen for a while before he finally dialed the number he was forced to have in his contacts. Not surprisingly, it didn’t even ring for a full cycle before he heard She Li's voice on the other end.

_“What a surprise, Little Mo~ Do you need something?”_

The smug tone from the other boy made Guan Shan mad, but he didn't want to piss him off. Instead, he just sighed in frustration.

“Can we meet up? I want to talk."

He could practically hear the smile in the snake’s words as he chuckled.

 _“_ _Of course_ _~ I’ve always got time for you.”_

* * *

Guan Shan waited, rather impatiently, for the silver-haired boy to meet him at the usual spot. For some reason, She Li insisted they meet downtown in his family's district. Though he typically would avoid this area, at least he knew he’d be safe from that other gang for the time being.

Standing at the mouth of an alley, Guan Shan leaned against the wall of one of the buildings. Now that night had fallen, the chill in the air had his skin prickling with goosebumps. A sudden shiver ran through him, though he couldn't be sure if it was due to the cold or his nerves... After what felt like ages, he finally heard the sound of footsteps coming towards him. Looking up nervously, he was thankful that She Li had come alone this time.

Meeting the guy halfway down the alley, he kept his eyes low. Though he was anxious, he didn't want the snake to see how upset he was. With his shame boiling under the surface, he couldn’t even bring himself to speak first. Of course, She Li was beyond delighted to talk instead.

“So, why did you call me out here? Were you feeling lonely, Little Mo?”

Gritting his teeth, he kept his gaze to the ground until he finally found the strength to speak.

“I wanted to hear more about your deal from before...” He knew he sounded absolutely pathetic, and that was exactly what She Li wanted.

“Oh? I thought you said you weren’t interested?” The other boy’s smile was plainly heard in his voice. The snake was clearly having fun watching him squirm.

“Yeah well, things changed.” Even if he was desperate, he wasn't desperate enough to feed the bastard's ego by begging.

Coming in closer, She Li shrugged.

“Is that so?” Though the guy was trying to play it cool, the atmosphere made it obvious that the snake was enjoying himself way too much. “Okay then~ I want to pay off your entire family’s debt to that gang.”

At the words, Guan Shan was so surprised he looked at the silver-haired boy with wide eyes.

“What?” Though it was what he needed, he still hadn't been expecting that. At most, he thought She Li would just offer him protection or something. “There’s no way you’d do that!?”

Now, She Li’s eyes flashed with irritation.

“Don't underestimate me. That amount of money is nothing.” Shifting his stance, the smile pulled at the snake's lips again. “But I don’t do charity work.”

With his heart sinking, he already knew there would be a catch.

“I’ll pay you back-”

The harsh laugh from the other boy caught him off guard.

“You’re so dense sometimes.” Waving his hand, She Li crossed his arms. “I don’t need, nor want, your money.”

Scowling, Guan Shan couldn't figure out where the guy was going with this.

“What do you mean? Do you just want to keep me in your back pocket to use me later?” Like before, he knew She Li had it out for him since the beginning. It was like he couldn’t escape his grasp no matter how hard he tried...

Another laugh echoed from She Li’s lips as he shook his head.

“Not exactly... In return for covering your debt, I want your body.”

“What?” Confused, he didn’t understand. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

Suddenly, the larger boy pinned him up against the brick wall. Licking his lips, She Li smiled.

“You know what I mean. I want you to go out with me, and I want your body.”

Dumbfounded, Guan Shan’s mouth hung open as his face burned with embarrassment.

“Is this some kind of joke, or are you just fucking crazy?” Shaking his head, he tried to break She Li’s hold on his arms. “Obviously, I’m not going to go out with another guy, let alone you!”

Still holding firm, She Li pressed him.

“Why not? From where I’m standing, it’s a pretty fair deal. Your debt with the gang gets wiped out, and your family won't be bothered by them ever again. Think of it as an exchange of services~”

This guy had to be unhinged; who the fuck would accept that kind of deal!?

“You’re deranged!” Still struggling in his grip, he watched as the snake’s face turned dangerous.

“Why are you so against it? Is Little Mo saving himself for someone else?” Now his tone turned vicious. “Don’t tell me you’re still waiting for that bastard He Tian to come back and sweep you off your feet?”

Feeling his face flush, Guan Shan stammered as he tried to collect himself.

“W-What are you t-talking about?” Even though he tried to catch himself, he couldn’t help but get flustered. Averting his eyes, he swallowed thickly as the mention of the other boy's name had memories flooding back.

Suddenly, the harsh laugh from the guy in front of him caught his attention again.

“No way... Did that guy actually manage to convince you to sleep with him?” When Guan Shan's face flushed harder, She Li's laugh turned guttural. “Holy shit, he did! Tell me, was it a hit and run, or were you banging for a while before he ditched you?”

Embarrassed, his anxiety spiked hard and caused his eyes to twinge with the sting of tears. He had kept his feelings locked away since He Tian had left, and he didn’t want to think about them now.

“Will you just shut up!? M-Mind your own fucking business!” Unfortunately, the other boy wouldn’t let up.

“Don't be such a prude, it's just sex. What’s so different about you doing it with him versus me?”

Getting angry, Guan Shan lashed out.

“Seriously, just fucking drop it! Even if I had been d-doing it with him, he wouldn't ask for something in return!”

Now, She Li scowled at him.

“Is that so? I disagree. Seems to me, he got exactly what he wanted from you then dipped.” Seeing the conviction in Guan Shan's eyes waver, She Li kept pressing him. “Think about it. That guy was a filthy rich asshole. Girls threw themselves at him constantly, so why would he be chasing after a nobody like you? You’re not even from the same world; you have nothing in common. If anything, you would only drag him down from his already perfect life. You were nothing more than a fun distraction for him.”

She Li's words cut deep, and he felt himself involuntarily flinch. Normally, he wouldn't give this guy a second thought, but everything he had said were doubts that had already been playing on his heart. What _did_ He Tian want with someone like him?

Ever since the night he slept with He Tian, Guan Shan had been trying to sort through his thoughts about the other boy. It was hard for him to know exactly what he was feeling; ever since he was little, he had always just avoided everyone. For him, relationships were nothing more than a headache. Then, He Tian came into his life and dragged him into that idiotic group of jerks. At first, he was annoyed by it, but eventually, they all sort of grew on him. If he was being honest, he didn’t know why a guy like that would bother with someone like him. He knew they lived completely different lives, but they always just ignored it. In fact, He Tian kept coming back no matter how many times he pushed him away. Except for this last time...

“T-That’s not true. We’re... friends.” Actually, he didn’t know exactly what they were anymore. Though he’d be damned if he let the snake know that.

Scoffing, She Li rolled his eyes.

“Sure, you were just 'friends' who happened to fuck each other, right?” To his surprise, She Li let him go and turned away from him. “Well, if you aren’t going to take my offer, then there’s no reason for me to stick around here. Good luck paying off that debt.”

Watching the other boy’s retreating back, his heart squeeze in his chest when anxiety smacked into him again.

“Wait!” Sounding way too desperate for his liking, he couldn’t meet the other boy’s gaze when the guy turned around.

Narrowing his eyes, She Li’s tone was unimpressed.

“What?”

Unable to speak, Guan Shan felt his legs start to shake under his weight. Leaning against the wall to keep himself up, he painfully clenched his fists. Looking at the reality of the situation, he didn't have much of a choice. After all, it was better to deal with the devil he knew rather than the devil he didn’t...

Clicking his tongue, She Li turned away from him once more.

“ _Tsk,_ stop wasting my time.”

As the other boy started to walk away again, Guan Shan finally found his voice.

“I-I’ll do it.” Though he was quiet, She Li turned back around with a sly smile on his face. Finding a little more strength, he continued. “But I want to ask you something.”

Walking over to him, She Li’s mood was unreadable. Though, he must have been in a good enough mood to humor him.

“And what would that be?”

“I don’t know why you’re doing this.” Swallowing, he held the other boy’s eyes. “Why me? Why won’t you just leave me alone?”

She Li’s smile widened as he shrugged.

“To be honest, I’m just bored. And I told you before, your fate is bound to me.”

The matter of fact tone in the snake's voice made his stomach drop. This was just a game to She Li, but for Guan Shan, it was his life... Feeling the sting of tears in his eyes, he kept his head low. As this new reality hit him, he must have looked miserable because She Li's hand lifted his head back up. With a toothy grin, the silver-haired boy lightly brushed Guan Shan's cheek with his free hand.

“Don’t worry, my Little Mo~ I’ll take care of everything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Sorry about the wait on this one. It was very long (lots to cover) and I'm still not 100% happy with it. But, now we can get on to the rest of the story. Hopefully, He Tian will be ready to save Momo both physically, and mentally, from the snake's hold!
> 
> Let me know if you're enjoying the story so far! I love reading comments, and I hope you're ready for some more sexy scenes coming up...


	10. Just a Distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She Li and Mo spend some 'quality' time together at She Li's place.

Leaning back against the headrest, Guan Shan sat silently in the passenger seat of She Li’s car. Though he wanted to tell the other man to bring him back home, he knew it would be a pointless argument. The only consolidation was that the guy wasn’t much for conversation. That meant they could spend the majority of the short ride in silence, much to his relief. By the time they made it to She Li’s apartment building, he had recovered from his fatigue for the most part. It was stupid to let himself get run down like that; things had been so hectic lately with the holidays and then He Tian, that he hadn’t even had time to think clearly.

Pulling into a parking space, the silver-haired man glanced over at him.

“Do you need me to help you upstairs?”

Giving him a death glare, Guan Shan scowled.

“Fuck off, I’m not crippled.” Though he still felt a little lightheaded, he didn’t want to look _that_ pathetic.

She Li just smirked at him before he got out of the car.

“It’s so cute when you act tough~”

The sing-song tone of the other man’s voice irked him, and Guan Shan slammed the car door in annoyance.

“Will you just go upstairs already?”

Not feeling like arguing, he hoped She Li wouldn’t make a big deal out of the whole situation. Thankfully, the other man relented and led the way without another word. Feeling a little awkward now, he tried his best to keep his distance from the silver-haired man. Standing at opposite ends of the elevator, it felt like forever before they finally reached She Li’s apartment. 

After making it to his front door, She Li unlocked it without much fuss and stepped aside to let him in first. Not bothering to wait for the guy, Guan Shan made his way to the living room without hesitation. After all, it wasn’t his first time here. Despite having been to She Li’s place a few times, he tried not to make it a habit. The snake made him uncomfortable no matter where they were, but being in his personal space was almost worse.

Glancing around, he noted the expensive stuff that furnished the place. She Li had nice couches, a large flatscreen TV, and several smaller items that flaunted his wealth. Pretty much the complete opposite of his own place. Though it was tastefully adorned, he couldn’t imagine needing half the shit this guy had. For some reason, the sudden thought of He Tian floated into his mind. Unlike He Tian’s apartment, this place wasn’t as spacious, but it was furnished with more stuff. To him, it was obvious the guy lived here, whereas He Tian’s place felt like he was just passing through... Shaking the thought from his head, he wished he could stop thinking about that dark-haired bastard all the time!

Feeling irritated, he made his way over to the couch with renewed haste. Absently, he noticed that the other man hadn’t followed him when they came through the door. With his mind preoccupied, he hadn’t seen where She Li went, but he didn’t really care either. Flopping down onto the couch with a sigh, his body started to sag into the cushions as he closed his eyes. Being cradled by the comfiness of the seat, he could feel himself start to drift off to sleep. Sitting there, the sudden vibration from the phone in his pocket pulled him back to reality. A little irritated, he pulled the device from his jeans and scowled at the screen. Reading the text he just got, his stomach dropped when he actually processed what it said.

_Buzzcut: ‘Are you okay? I found He Tian at the club looking for you. Are you with She Li?’_

That idiot! Feeling panic clutch at his chest, he quickly typed out a message.

_Guan Shan: ‘Get him out of there! I don’t care what you have to do, make sure no one sees that dumbass!’_

_Guan Shan: ‘It's none of your business who I'm with! I’m fine. I’ll make sure She Li doesn’t head back to the club for a while.’_

Guan Shan didn’t get a chance to rip that dark-haired bastard a new one before he heard footsteps behind him. Not wanting the other man to see the texts, he quickly locked his phone and shoved it back in his pocket out of sight. Looking over his shoulder, he watched as She Li walked into the living room from around the couch. Standing in front of him, the taller man held out a plate with a sandwich on it. As he stared at it with confusion, he heard the silver-haired man huff with annoyance.

“Just take it. It’s for you.” The look on She Li’s face was unreadable as he waited impatiently for him to comply.

Though he was still confused, he hesitantly took the plate from the other man’s hand and placed it on his lap. Looking at the food, it was only a simple sandwich but just the sight of it made his stomach growl loudly.

Sitting down on the other part of the couch, She Li rolled his eyes.

“Aren’t you going to eat it? You’re obviously hungry.”

Slightly embarrassed, Guan Shan hid his face as he hastily downed the food. So many things had happened recently that he hadn’t eaten much real food over the last two days. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed She Li was watching him silently with a calculating stare. Feeling the guy’s gaze lingering on him, he shifted nervously as he finished eating. Finally looking at the other man, he scowled.

“Why the hell are you watching me like that?”

Moving the plate to the coffee table, he was surprised when he heard the snake laugh lightly.

“I was just worried about my Little Mo~ What would you do if I wasn’t here to take care of you?”

The smug tone of the other man’s words irked him slightly, but Guan Shan remained silent. Awkwardly, they sat like that for a while, and he could feel his ears become warm. _Why the hell did this guy always need to be so weird!?_ Not knowing what to say, he kept his gaze down on his lap as he tugged at the bottom of his shirt. Eventually, She Li put him out of his misery and spoke up again. 

“Why are you so fidgety? Is something bothering you?”

Though the question sounded innocent, he knew the other man was always fishing for things to hold against him. Trying his best to seem inconspicuous, he leaned back into the cushions again and grumbled back.

“You’ve just been suffocating me lately. Especially since He Tian-”

Catching him off guard, She Li lurched forward and pushed him down. As he climbed on top of him, the larger man pinned Guan Shan's arms above his head with a growl.

“Don’t even mention that bastard’s name in front of me.” Judging by the horrible look on the snake’s face, he had struck a nerve.

The reaction made Guan Shan smirk; he liked it when he got under the guy’s skin. He decided to push his luck.

“Why? Are you _that_ jealous of him?"

Grabbing Guan Shan's face with his free hand, the silver-haired man leaned in.

“So feisty~” It was obvious She Li was enjoying the back and forth. Looking at him with lustful eyes, the other man studied him carefully. “You seem to be in a rare mood today. Are you feeling cheated from earlier?”

The other man’s frankness caught him off guard, and he could feel his cheeks blush.

“S-Shut up! As if I-” He didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence before She Li closed the distance and kissed him. The kiss felt hot and possessive, and he could feel himself getting lightheaded. Breaking away from the connection, he was out of breath as he weakly fought against the larger man’s firm grip. “Wait, s-stop... I-I don’t...”

Pulling back, She Li gave him a sour look.

“Stop playing games.”

Moving in for another kiss, Guan Shan felt the tension in his stomach grow when She Li slid his tongue into his mouth. Without even realizing it, he had opened his legs ever so slightly, searching for friction. The heated exchange had his muscles going weak, and the other man pulled back with a satisfied smile. Looking at him, She Li purred.

“I know what you like~”

Instantly feeling embarrassed, he averted his eyes.

“I don’t like anything you do.”

Above him, She Li just laughed as he released his hold on his face. Moving his hand down to Guan Shan’s crotch, the silver-haired man firmly grabbed his dick through his pants. The sudden contact made him gasp in surprise.

_“Fuck...”_ Biting his lip to stop himself from moaning, Guan Shan scowled. “Don’t fucking do that...”

The jerk just smiled at his reaction and started rubbing the growing hard-on in his jeans. Now, She Li moved his lips to Guan Shan’s ear.

“Don’t lie~ Your dick is telling me otherwise.” Growling, the other man lightly licked his ear, sending chills down his spine. “Does Little Mo want to feel good?”

The breathy words, combined with the friction on his lower half, had his head spinning. Though he meant to keep She Li occupied, he hadn’t anticipated actually wanting to do it. Trying to justify it in his mind, he felt the shame rise in his chest. _This is only to keep him from going back to the club for a while..._

In front of him, She Li had a sly smile creeping across his features. Cocking his head to the side, the taller man released his hold on Guan Shan’s arms as he smirked.

“Oh~ Does Little Mo actually want something after all?” Clearly waiting for him to say it, She Li was enjoying making him flustered.

Not wanting to admit it, Guan Shan kept his usual edge.

“Fuck off! You’re delusional.” He knew the other man wanted to make him uncomfortable.

Instead, the guy just laughed at him with a smug grin.

“Is it so hard for you to just ask for it?” At once, Guan Shan's whole face became hot. Unable to look the other man in the eyes, he averted his gaze as She Li continued. “If you ask nicely, I might just let Little Mo pick what we do~”

Bracing his hands on She Li’s chest, his fingers gripped the other man’s shirt with a shaky hold.

“I-I...” Cursing under his breath, he wished he didn’t sound so stupid when it came to stuff like this. Instead, he settled for the middle ground as he mumbled. “Can we at least do it on the bed?”

Huffing with exasperation, She Li realized that was the most he was going to get from him. In one fluid movement, the other man got off of the couch and pulled him to his feet. The sudden elevation was a little disorienting, and Guan Shan stumbled forward slightly. Before he tripped, She Li quickly reached out and caught him easily.

“Careful~” The taller man gave him a cocky smile that irked him to no end.

Annoyed, he pushed the guy's hand away as he straightened his clothes.

“I wouldn't have tripped if you didn't fucking do that!”

Seeing the other man's grin pissed him off even more, so he headed towards the bedroom door first. He didn’t have to look back to know She Li was following close behind. Making it to the door, his hand hovered over the doorknob as his anxiety spiked. Instantly, the larger man slid up behind him and whispered in his ear.

“Go on, open it~” The guy's tone held an invitation that made Guan Shan's stomach clench. Still hesitating, he felt She Li’s hands grab onto his hips. Using the leverage, the other man ground his own hips against Guan Shan's ass. The abrupt sensation had a jolt of excitement go straight to his own dick. Behind him, he heard She Li purr into the nape of his neck. "Come on, stop wasting time."

Guan Shan could feel his head spinning as he was starting to get lost in the moment. Wanting to put some distance between them, he finally opened the door and walked into the room. He didn’t bother turning on the lights since the late afternoon sun still illuminated the large room. Behind him, he heard a quiet rustling and turned to see She Li already removing his shirt. Getting nervous, he quickly looked at the floor while the other man finished taking off his clothes.

Walking up to him completely naked, She Li stuck his finger into Guan Shan’s waistband and tugged him closer.

“Are you planning to get fucked fully clothed? Or are you trying to get me to undress you myself?” The words were spoken with a heavy cadence; it was obvious that the guy was getting impatient.

With shaky hands, Guan Shan removed his clothes clumsily. With each part of his body that was exposed, he could feel his blush deepen with embarrassment. Once he was fully naked, She Li grabbed him by the waist again and pressed their bodies together. Being this close, he could feel the other man’s erection getting stiffer against his waist. Now, She Li leaned in close to his ear.

“Do you want to be on top?”

The guy must be in a weird mood. Normally, he wouldn’t give him a choice and the abruptness of the question had him fumbling over his words.

“W-Wha?” Feeling his face instantly heat up, he couldn't think of what to say. Huffing with impatience, She Li leaned down and placed a painful bite on his shoulder, making him cry out. “ _Oww!_ What the hell was that for!?”

Though he wouldn't admit it, he kind of enjoyed the feeling it gave him in his stomach... Lightly licking the still sore bite mark, She Li murmured as he buried his face into Guan Shan’s neck.

“Make a choice before I pick for you.”

After thinking it over, Guan Shan mumbled his answer.

“No... from behind...” Though he hated giving the bastard all the control, he still felt a little weak from earlier. Plus, that way, he wouldn't have to look at him.

Instantly, the larger man carried him to the bed. Setting him down, the guy watched as he awkwardly climbed onto his hands and knees. No matter how many times they had done this together, he always felt embarrassed being this vulnerable in front of someone else. While he finished positioning himself, She Li had retrieved a thing of lube from his bedside drawer. Now the guy walked out of range of sight, and he suddenly felt the bed move as the larger man came up behind him.

Shutting his eyes, Guan Shan waited for the initial pain of She Li entering him, but it didn’t come. Instead, he felt the sensation of a firm hand on his lower back before a lube covered finger slid inside him. The sudden sensation had him involuntarily arching his back as he moaned, giving the other man a better angle to reach deeper.

“ _Ughh-mmmm_ _...”_ Biting his lip, he could barely keep his upper body supported as a shiver of pleasure tore through him.

Just then, a second finger entered him, and his arms went weak. Burrowing his face into the sheets, he tried to focus on the sensations of his body. With each thrust of the fingers, he had to stop himself from outright whimpering. Embarrassingly, he silently wished they could go deeper.

Behind him, he heard a sultry laugh fill the room.

“Such a lewd body~ Even though you pretend to hate it so much... Are my fingers not enough for you?”

Now, with his ass still in the air, She Li took the opportunity to reach around and grab Guan Shan's throbbing cock. Surprised, he hissed in pleasure when the firm grasp started moving in time with the fingers in his ass. Though he hated it when She Li said shit like that, he was too in the moment to put up much of a fight. Besides, he was afraid that if he opened his mouth, he'd nearly end up begging the guy to fuck him. How did he become so pathetic?

Now, the tension in his stomach was growing, but he didn’t want to come like this. Grabbing She Li’s hand that was still working his dick, Guan Shan slurred his words breathlessly.

“Enough... I wannit...” It was true; he did want it. He wasn't entirely sure why, though maybe it was because he was feeling guilty about He Tian?

Ever since the dark-haired man came crashing back into his life, Guan Shan had felt like things were spiraling out of control again. For a while, after this whole arrangement began with She Li, he had been able to mentally distance himself from everything. In his mind, he had turned off all his feelings. Any time he had to do it with She Li, it just became a job. Eventually, he was even able to get something out of it too and that made it more bearable.

But when He Tian came back, his mental pandora’s box had been reopened. It was as if he was suddenly reminded of everything that had happened, and more painfully, what he had lost. Now, here he was, about to get fucked by the person he hated the most and actually _wanting_ it. Perhaps it was just his brain’s last-ditch effort to remind him of how messed up he was. Even if He Tian thought he could ‘save’ him or whatever the guy believed, Guan Shan knew it would be a wasted effort.

Suddenly, a light touch on his back brought him out of his thoughts. Behind him, She Li traced up Guan Shan’s spine with his fingertips until he reached his shoulder blades. Without warning, the other man dug his fingernails into his skin, making him hiss from the sting. Dragging his nails all the way down to his lower back, She Li enjoyed watching him stifle a groan. Though it hurt, Guan Shan’s dick twitched in the other man’s grip as the scratches on his back throbbed.

Growling in approval, She Li spoke in a lustful tone.

“I love seeing my marks on your skin.” The silver-haired man was clearly as lost in the moment as he was. “How badly do you want it?”

Without a word, Guan Shan just lowered himself down onto the bed and rolled over onto his back. Although he could feel the shame in the back of his mind, he was too deep into his self-hatred to care. Opening his legs, he didn’t even have to say anything before She Li was on top of him. As they got into position, he felt the other man’s hot dick already at his entrance. Before he could brace himself, the larger man pushed inside him with one fluid motion.

_"Nnngh!"_ Biting his lower lip to muffle his voice, Guan Shan clenched his eyes shut.

Despite being stretched out, the initial thrust still caused his ass to throb as he took all of She Li’s length. Once the guy was all the way in, both of them moaned as they waited for his body to get used to the pressure. Too focused on his need to come, Guan Shan started rolling his hips to entice the other man into moving. Of course, he got what he wanted as She Li began to ruthlessly thrust into him with a predatory growl. Though it still hurt a little, Guan Shan’s dick was already leaking precum. Without even realizing it, he found himself opening his legs wider and urging the guy to go deeper.

Getting into it, She Li bent his head down and started nipping at Guan Shan's ear. Arching his head to the side, he exposed as much of his neck as he could for the other man. With every bite on his neck and collarbone, he could feel his body start to tense in anticipation of his release. As the pressure continued to build, he knew he was close to the edge. All he needed was one final push and he would...

Reading his mind, She Li licked Guan Shan’s ear with a breathless moan. The action sent a shiver straight down his spine and into his cock.

_"Mmmphf!"_ Right as he came, he leaned forward and bit She Li’s shoulder with a low whimper. As hot cum hit his chest, he felt She Li’s cock start to twitch inside him with his own orgasm.

Letting each other ride out the last of their convulsions, both of them sagged with a breathless sigh as they were spent. Releasing his hold on She Li’s shoulder, he let his head fall back onto the bed. Instantly, he could feel his earlier tiredness start to take over his mind as his body flagged with fatigue. As he started to doze off, he watched She Li slide out from inside of him and quickly shifted his gaze towards the ceiling.

Hearing the other guy rustling around, he was surprised when She Li appeared in front of him again with a shirt in hand. Without hesitation, the guy used it to wipe the cum off of Guan Shan’s chest for him. Normally he would be embarrassed by something like that, but he frankly couldn’t care at the moment. In the back of his mind, he knew She Li had finished inside him, but he was too tired to get himself to the bathroom to deal with that either. Instead, he just laid there as his thoughts started to fade into nothingness.

Finally, he wouldn’t have to think for a while...

* * *

As the world started to come back into focus, Guan Shan felt extremely hot. Opening his eyes, he was confused for a moment before he realized where he was.

_I’m still at She Li’s..._ The room was dark now, so it must be the middle of the night. How long had he been sleeping?

Going to move, he finally realized why he was so hot; pressed up to his back, She Li had ended up falling asleep too. It was rare for him to do so, but at the same time, they seldom did it in the guy’s apartment either. Instantly feeling awkward, he started to shuffle out of the bed when he felt an arm slide across his waist. Holding him in place, the silver-haired man spoke in a groggy tone.

“Where are you going?” The other man was still half asleep, but he was always on alert.

Acutely aware that they were both still naked, Guan Shan blushed as he turned away.

“Can’t a guy go to the fucking bathroom without an interrogation?” The answer seemed to quench She Li’s curiosity, and he released his grip.

Getting up from the bed, he quietly grabbed his clothes off the ground and headed out of the bedroom. Though he knew they were alone in the apartment, he still subconsciously used his clothes to hide his dick as he sprinted towards the bathroom. Once there, he figured it would be easiest to just take a quick shower to clean himself up. Removing the last remnants of the snake from his body, he almost would have forgotten they’d done it if it wasn’t for his sore ass and the sting of scratch marks on his back.

Shaking the thought from his mind, he finished his shower and got dressed. Slipping into his shirt and boxers, he decided to forgo the pants for the sake of comfort. Stepping out of the bathroom, he didn’t feel like going back into the bedroom while She Li was still there. Instead, he grabbed his phone and headed over to the couch. Looking at the time, he knew it was too late for public transit to be open, and he didn’t want to walk back to his place. Deciding to stay till morning, he settled in and looked through his missed texts.

He had a couple from Cun Tou; the guy was always way too eager to please him. Luckily though, it seemed Buzzcut had managed to get that idiot away from the club without much fuss. Knowing He Tian, Guan Shan was sure that bastard probably twisted his arm in some way. The dark-haired man always had a way of finding out shit that should be kept hidden...

And he was absolutely sure that was the case when he saw a single message from the other man.

_He Tian: ‘We need to talk.’_

The words had his stomach twisting; that was the last thing he wanted to do... With a sigh, he typed out a message though he knew it was too late to get a reply.

_Guan Shan: ‘There’s not much to talk about.’_

He jumped when his phone vibrated almost immediately.

_He Tian: ‘There’s a lot to talk about. When are you free?’_

The idiot must have been sitting up all night waiting for him to text back. Feeling his guilt start to rise up again, he figured it would be the quickest way to end things.

_Guan Shan: ‘I can probably stop by tomorrow night.’_

_He Tian: ‘Okay.’_

Staring at the simple text, he felt his heart clench. He knew that this meeting was going to be the end of things; he would no longer have to wonder about ‘what ifs.’ Finally, there was going to be a solid end to whatever the fuck they were.

Surprisingly, his phone vibrated again.

_He Tian: ‘I saw you with She Li. You seemed out of it.’_

_He Tian: ‘Are you alright?’_

Though he knew He Tian couldn’t possibly know what they had done at his place, Guan Shan’s shame and embarrassment surfaced instantly.

_Guan Shan: ‘Mind your own fucking business! Obviously, I’m fine.’_

_He Tian: ‘Yeah. Obviously.’_

Cringing to himself, he knew he was being unfair; it was clear that the other man wasn't being an ass or anything. Not knowing what to say, he was about to put his phone away when another message came through.

_He Tian: ‘Look, I’m sorry.’_

_He Tian: ‘For a lot of things.’_

_He Tian: ‘But we can talk about that tomorrow. I just wanted to say goodnight.’_

Feeling a lump in his throat, Guan Shan turned off his phone to keep himself from saying something he’d regret. Rolling onto his side, he hid his face into the back cushions of the couch. Without a blanket, he ended up curling into himself for warmth. For some reason, his mind just wouldn’t let him sleep. Instead, it kept replaying the events of the last few days, reminding him of how pathetic he was.

_Why did things have to turn out this way?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was my attempt at (kinda) soft She Li. I feel like being 'together' for that long, they would both show different sides of each other (at least sometimes). I just couldn't resist having at least one scene with the two of them being amicable haha.
> 
> Anyway, next chapter is going to be a big talk between Mo and He Tian. Hopefully these two idiots will talk about their FEELINGS!
> 
> Please let me know if you like the story so far, I love hearing from you guys!


	11. Let Me Explain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He Tian and Mo finally have their serious talk. I know everyone's been waiting for this one!

When Guan Shan woke up, he realized he was still on She Li’s couch. Judging by the light from the window and the grogginess in his mind, he must have slept past noon. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he ended up laying on the couch for a few extra minutes to collect himself.

When he eventually did get up, he noticed that She Li had already left. Grabbing his phone, he saw that the guy had texted him. In simple terms, She Li had ‘things’ to do but would be back later.

 _Whatever that meant._ Of course, Guan Shan wasn't going to stick around for when the silver-haired man got home anyway.

Instead, he quickly pulled on his pants and hit the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, he was glad to see he didn't look like shit anymore. Even better, his facial bruise and the hickey She Li gave him had faded somewhat. Unfortunately, there were also a few new bite marks littering his skin, much to his annoyance.

The bastard probably thought he had free reign now that Guan Shan didn’t have work for a little while... _Ugh, that guy could be such an ass._

Without wasting more time, he quickly washed his face and brushed his teeth. As weird as he felt about it, he did have a spare toothbrush for the rare occasion when he stayed over. Though he made sure it was one of the only things he kept here.

Once he finished getting ready for the day, he decided not to eat at She Li’s place. Although Guan Shan knew the guy wouldn’t care, he hated owing him anything. Besides, he knew he had some leftovers at his own place that he could scrounge together instead.

Thankfully, he missed the morning rush on his way back, so he was able to make it home in a decent amount of time. Walking through his door, he let out a deep sigh; it felt good to finally be home.

Going over to his shelves, the first thing he did was change into something more comfortable. Not that his clothes were anything special. If anything, he usually bought cheap brands to save money, but something about being in his own stuff just made him feel better.

Looking at the time, he still had a little while before he was supposed to go to He Tian’s place. The dark-haired man had texted him on his way home. Basically, Guan Shan was good to head over any time after 8pm.

Pacing around his small apartment, his anxiety was making it impossible to sit still. After grabbing something to eat from his small fridge, he decided to do some errands to keep himself busy.

Since He Tian had given him that money, Guan Shan was able to do some early grocery shopping for his place. Though he hated relying on others like that, at least he could get what he needed and use the extra for dinner tonight.

Thinking about the other man, Guan Shan figured he would want beef stew. The thought brought a slight smile to his face, but he also knew he shouldn’t get too invested. After all, this would probably be the last time they saw each other.

Heading out, Guan Shan stopped at the store nearest to his apartment. Keeping things simple, he only bought the bare minimum as he was too antsy to stay out for very long. The more time that passed, the worse he felt.

Even though he was trying to distract himself, it was like his mind wouldn’t stop obsessing about the fact that he was about to see He Tian soon. Every scenario he pictured in his head all ended terribly, which made the pit in his stomach churn with dread.

Even on his walk back to his apartment, his anxiety was getting the better of him. Finding a small alleyway, he put his shopping bags down to pull out the new pack of cigarettes and lighter he’d just bought.

Taking one from the pack, he noticed the faint shake of his hands as he brought the cigarette to his lips. Lighting it, he let out a sigh after his first drag.

He could feel the cold air seep into his clothes, making his skin tighten with goosebumps and a slight shiver run through his body. Pulling his jacket closer to himself, he leaned back onto the wall of the building while he watched the cigarette slowly burn between his fingers.

_Tonight was going to be a disaster..._

* * *

No matter how badly he wished for time to stop, Guan Shan watched as the clock kept moving. Eventually, he left his apartment and made his way to He Tian’s place, almost in a daze. Now here he was, standing in front of the guy’s door.

He had gotten to He Tian’s apartment building a little over ten minutes ago, but he couldn’t bring himself to knock on the door. Every time he built up his courage, his hand just hovered in the air, poised to knock but never committing.

Some security guard was probably having a laugh at him right now... No doubt he looked stupid as he paced the hall, wiping the sweat from his hands on his pants.

Suddenly, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Pulling it out, he frowned at the message.

_He Tian: ‘If you need a taxi, let me know.’_

It was obvious that the guy was worried Guan Shan would flake...

He couldn’t blame him. After all, Guan Shan had tried his best to avoid having a serious talk with him for years.

Sighing, he finally built his resolve and texted back.

_Guan Shan: ‘I just got here. I’m outside your door.'_

Only a second after hitting send, Guan Shan could hear a quiet rustling from inside He Tian’s apartment. Within a minute, the door flung open and the sight of the dark-haired man surprised him.

Standing in the doorway, He Tian was unusually disheveled.

The guy was dressed in a wrinkled t-shirt and sweats, and it seemed like he hadn’t slept all night. Looking at him, Guan Shan noticed the other man had faint dark circles under his unfocused eyes. Moreover, his hair was unusually messy, even for him.

As they both stood there for a moment, He Tian spoke first.

“Hey.” Though the word was short and unassuming, it held so many emotions.

Now that the door was open, Guan Shan could smell the heavy scent of cigarettes and alcohol. Taking in the sight before him, it was obvious the other man had been drinking for a while. Although, it seemed like he was actually sobering up from an all-nighter, if he had to guess.

Giving him a wary eye, Guan Shan nodded towards the apartment.

“Are you going to let me in, or...?”

After hesitating for a second, He Tian kept his face blank as he moved out of the way. Motioning with his hand, he beckoned him inside.

“Yeah, come in.” The other man was clearly in a mood, but Guan Shan was having a hard time reading him.

Feeling a little nervous, he walked past the guy and turned when he heard him shut the door. Giving the dark-haired man a once over, Guan Shan scoffed.

“You look like you had a fun night. It smells like a fucking bar in here.”

To his surprise, he heard He Tian let out a humorless laugh.

“Yeah, sorry. I’ll go open a window.” Walking past, the other man kept his eyes hidden as he made his way to the large common room.

Watching He Tian’s retreating back, Guan Shan went the opposite way to the kitchen as he called out.

“By the way, are you hungry? I brought stuff to make dinner.” The way the other man was acting put Guan Shan on edge. Something had to have happened since the last time he saw him. _Damn, this was awkward already..._

Setting the bag of stuff down on the counter, Guan Shan took a good look around.

Not only was He Tian disheveled, but his apartment was also trashed. The kitchen had empty glasses and liquid spilled all over the counter. Not to mention the empty whiskey bottle that sat haphazardly on the edge of the marble countertop.

This whole scene felt so foreign to him. He Tian wasn’t the kind of guy-

Guan Shan shook his head, stopping himself.

It had been two years since he last saw the other man. Maybe this was who he was now? After all, Guan Shan wasn’t the same person he used to be, so why shouldn’t he assume the same for He Tian?

Not caring to think too much more on it, he started cleaning up the counter so he could have space to cook. As he started putting the glasses into the sink, he heard He Tian make his way into the kitchen. From behind, the other man's voice sounded rough.

“Oh? What did you end up bringing for dinner?” Suddenly, He Tian’s eyes went wide. “Oh shit, I should have cleaned before you came over... Here, let me do it.”

Before the other man could start getting in his way, Guan Shan raised his hand.

“Don’t worry about it.” Normally he’d give him attitude, but the way He Tian looked made him feel guilty for some reason. “And I brought stuff to make beef stew.”

“Oh! Sounds good~” Just the mention of beef stew brought a small smile to the other man’s face. “Do you need any help?”

Though they both knew what tonight was going to be about, neither of them seemed willing to break this façade quite yet. As if they knew this would be the last time they could pretend everything was normal.

Putting the last dish in the sink, Guan Shan gave him a lighthearted scowl.

“Obviously, I’m not your fucking personal chef. Start cutting the ingredients into small chunks while I get the pans ready.”

In silence, Guan Shan finished cleaning while He Tian diligently cut the meat and vegetables like he was told. The odd act they were doing felt entirely too domestic, but having something to distract themselves helped to lessen the tension between them.

As Guan Shan did the cooking, He Tian started clearing the table and setting the bowls. Once the stew was finished, they took the pot to the dining area and set it between them.

Now that they were sitting down, his nervousness made him hyper focus on everything the guy did. Instantly, his heart rate spiked when He Tian broke the silence.

“This is really good~ You know, I missed your cooking.”

Looking at the other man, Guan Shan saw him give a halfhearted smile. Something was clearly weighing on the man, but he didn’t dare to ask him what was wrong.

“Given how shitty of a cook you are, I’m not surprised.” God, he sounded so lame, but he couldn’t think of anything else to say. He wasn’t even able to maintain eye contact with the guy without feeling anxious.

Guan Shan hoped that they could just avoid the awkward conversation, but unfortunately, the dark-haired man decided to dive right in.

“So, are we going to talk about the elephant in the room, or what?”

Immediately, Guan Shan scowled at the bowl of stew he had.

“I don’t know what you’re on about. You’re the one who wanted to talk, not me.” He knew he was playing dumb, but he really didn’t want to have this conversation.

Next to him, he heard a quiet sigh.

“Come on... don’t be that way. We both have a lot to say.”

When Guan Shan remained silent, he heard He Tian clear his throat.

“Will you at least look at me?” Once Guan Shan looked up, he saw that He Tian’s face held a dark look. “Why didn’t you tell me about She Li?”

Annoyed at the direct question, Guan Shan tried to play it off.

“Fucking tell you about what? What’s my personal life got to do with anything?”

Not having it, the other man immediately spat back.

“You know exactly what I’m fucking talking about.” When Guan Shan only gave He Tian a blank stare, he continued. “The reason why you’re with him.”

Immediately, Guan Shan’s eyes went wide. _There was no way he found out..._

“W-What?” Other than his brother, He Tian could have only found out from Cun Tou. _Damn it!_ When he told Buzzcut to do anything to get him out of there, he hadn’t meant _that!_

Looking at him with an unreadable expression, He Tian continued to push him.

“I know about the deal you made with him to pay off your debt... Why wouldn’t you tell me?”

Well, there was no denying that he knew now. _Fuck._

Guan Shan felt humiliated. Slamming his hands down on the table, his words were filled with self-hatred.

“Tell you what!? That I’m She Li’s glorified fucking prostitute!?" Staring into his lap, he refused to meet the other man's eyes. "I’m sorry, but why would I tell you, or anyone for that matter? It’s none of your fucking business!”

He hadn’t meant to yell, but it just came out like an explosion of emotion. Embarrassed, he shot up from the table and grabbed his bowl, bringing it to the kitchen. Of course, he heard the dark-haired man immediately chase after him.

He had yet to reach the sink when a firm hand gripped his upper arm, spinning him around. He Tian’s face was like stone, but his eyes flared with anger.

“Don't say shit like that about yourself!" The other man was trying to stay level headed but failing miserably. "And it definitely is my fucking business. I’m not just going to sit by and watch you get blackmailed!”

Talking about the situation with He Tian had a lump forming in his throat; he felt helpless.

Without thinking, Guan Shan ripped his arm from He Tian’s grasp as his emotions took over again.

“Oh, it’s your business? What a fucking joke! It’s been two fucking years since we last spoke; we don’t even know each other anymore!” Though he knew he was being harsh, the words kept flowing out like a dam that just broke. “You’d have to be fucking delusional to imagine you could just swoop in like a hero! Things are different now, and I'm not a damsel in distress waiting for you to come to save me!”

As he kept yelling, his rant lost steam the longer he looked at He Tian’s expression. The guy was just standing there now, hiding his eyes behind his hair. Despite his demeanor, the other man’s voice was still even.

“Yeah, it’s been a while. And though we may have changed in certain ways, that doesn’t mean we don’t know each other. I promised that you wouldn’t have to shoulder everything alone. I know things are messed up, and I can’t go back in time, but I still hold myself to that promise.”

The earlier adrenaline from his outburst was making Guan Shan’s body shake as it waned. Though he was upset, he had spent too damn long being angry about things he couldn't change. He didn’t want to keep hurting the guy, but he needed to say what was on his mind.

“Look, you’re right; we can’t go back in time to magically change things. You’re not invincible, and you’re not able to save everyone. Sometimes it’s too late. There was a time when I thought we could work, as whatever the fuck we were. But eventually, I had to grow up and move on. Things aren’t as simple as they used to be. I know better now; you and I aren’t the same.”

Now, He Tian gave him a confused look.

“Why do you keep saying that?” The pain was obvious in his words.

Taking a deep breath, Guan Shan looked to the floor as he spoke.

“Because it’s true. You’re from a wealthy family; you have connections and opportunities I never will. There would be no reason why you would, or even should hang around with someone like me. I’m no lowlife, but fuck, there’s nothing here for you with me. And that goes for those other two idiots too, they should stop wasting their time.”

Still looking at the floor, he heard He Tian speak in a soft tone.

“That’s not true, _at all_. I never wanted anything from you other than just spending time together. You have no idea how much happiness you brought to my life. I felt like I was drowning in this darkness for the longest time. I honestly thought it would swallow me whole... But then, you came and showed me there was another way to live."

The other man’s words echoed in Guan Shan’s ears and made his cheeks instantly flare with heat.

“W-What the fuck are you t-talking about...” His embarrassment had his words stuttering out.

Composed, He Tian continued as he stepped closer to him.

“I’m serious. If anything, _you_ saved _me_. That night...” Reaching out a hand, He Tian lightly cupped Guan Shan's cheek.

Unfortunately, the unexpected touch surprised him and the bowl he was holding slipped from his grip. When the dish hit the tiled floor, it shattered to pieces.

The loud crash snapped Guan Shan from his daze, and he immediately bent down to pick it up.

“Oh shit, I’m sorry.”

Above him, He Tian grabbed his shoulder and tried pulling him away from the mess.

“It’s not a big deal. Seriously, don’t pick it up with your hands. Let me get the broom.”

When the other man walked away, Guan Shan was too shaken to pay attention. Instead, his hands moved on autopilot as he started to collect the larger pieces of ceramic.

Over his shoulder, he heard a harsh yell.

“Hey! I told you to wait!”

The voice startled him, and Guan Shan instinctively flinched. Without realizing it, his left hand clutched the sharp pieces of ceramic he was already holding.

“Fuck!” Jerking his arm back, he dropped the broken pieces to the floor and stared at his hand. Immediately, blood started welling up from the large cut on his palm.

Bending down next to him, He Tian gently took his injured hand and looked it over.

“See? This is why I told you to leave it for the broom..." Gently prodding the wound, He Tian frowned. "I can’t really see in this lighting. Come on, I have a first aid kit in the bathroom.”

Standing, the larger man easily lifted Guan Shan to his feet and nearly dragged him to the bathroom.

“Hey, stop! I’ll be fine!” Despite Guan Shan’s complaints, He Tian didn’t let go of him until he was sitting on the bathroom counter. “Stop over reacting, I just need something to wrap it in.”

Giving him a serious look, He Tian left no room for arguing.

“Ceramic is sharp like glass so the cuts tend to bleed a lot. You’re going to need more than just a Band-Aid.”

Now, Guan Shan sat silently and watched as the other man grabbed the First Aid kit from the closet. Placing it next to him on the counter, He Tian opened it and pulled out everything they would need.

Using one of the towels from the rack, He Tian blotted most of the blood off of Guan Shan’s palm. Unfortunately, he did end up bleeding enough that it ran down his forearm and got all over his clothes. _Just great..._

Watching the taller man inspect the wound, Guan Shan started to feel a little awkward. Not knowing what to say, he blurted out the first lame thing he could think of.

“Seems like you've done this before.” The guy was tending to his hand with practiced ease, it was obvious that he knew what he was doing.

With a light laugh, He Tian gave him a listless smile.

“Comes with the job, I suppose.” Holding Guan Shan’s hand open with the towel, He Tian grabbed the disinfectant. “Brace yourself, this is going to sting.”

Guan Shan tensed his jaw as the other man poured some of the alcohol onto his palm. Biting his lip, he hissed in pain.

 _“Mmph... Fuck.”_ That did _not_ feel good. When he spoke again, he had to clear his throat. “What do you mean it comes with the job?”

Continuing his ministrations, the dark-haired man frowned.

“I guess you could call it: 'the family business.' I tried to stay out of it for as long as I could, but certain circumstances forced my hand.”

As He Tian began to wrap his palm with gauze, Guan Shan felt his own frown form on his face.

Even when they were younger, Guan Shan never pressed He Tian for details unless he brought it up first. He never cared to dig into the other man's personal life; they all had shit that they would rather not talk about.

Yet, something kept nagging at him in the back of his mind... Working up his courage, Guan Shan finally asked the question that had plagued him for countless nights.

“Not that it matters anymore, but is that why you and Jian Yi disappeared?” Even though he would finally have an answer, his heart was hollow all the same.

Fastening the last bit of gauze, He Tian kept hold of Guan Shan's hand in his own warm grip. Looking up, they both made eye contact while the dark-haired man spoke.

“Yeah, it was." His eyes looked sad, and Guan Shan's stomach twisted. "I can’t talk about the details-”

Not letting him finish, Guan Shan took his hand out of He Tian's grip.

“I’m not looking for details. It doesn’t matter.” His cold tone did little to hide the hurt in his heart.

Now the taller man sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“No, that’s not what I meant.” Taking Guan Shan’s hand again, He Tian started over. “I meant to say that I can’t get into the details, but I do want to explain what happened. I knew something was going on with Jian Yi and my family. When I found out that he had to leave for his own safety...”

He Tian let his words drift into silence. When Guan Shan didn’t respond, the other man continued.

“I couldn’t let Jian Yi go alone. He’s my friend... And I swear, I didn't know how long we were going to be gone. You have no idea how badly I wanted to come back and see you. It was the same for Jian Yi with Zhan Zheng Xi.”

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Guan Shan wasn’t sure how he felt. The whole time the other man explained, only one thing kept running through his mind.

“When did you know?” Looking at He Tian’s face, Guan Shan could see his visible discomfort, but he wouldn’t back down. “Tell me: when did you know you were going to leave?”

Though he had tried to keep his voice even, the memories from the last few years all came rushing back. In front of him, He Tian straightened his stance.

“Little Mo...” It was obvious that the guy didn’t want to say it, but Guan Shan’s eyes pleaded for an answer. With a deep sigh, the other man held his gaze. “I knew about a week before we left.”

Guan Shan fucking knew it! That’s why this bastard had been so insistent on hanging out for that last week of summer. Before he could stop himself, he blurted out the ugly thought that had gripped his heart for the last two years.

“Is that why you fucked me? Because you thought it would be your last chance?”

If looks could kill, Guan Shan would be dead on the spot. He Tian’s face flickered between shock, disgust, and pure anger all in a matter of seconds. Immediately, the other man's tone turned dark.

“Don’t fucking say shit like that. Of course, it wasn't.” Easing up on his anger, He Tian surprised Guan Shan when he gently touched his cheek. “Believe me, I wanted to tell you that I was leaving, but I couldn’t. If you knew anything, you could have been in danger. Yes, I wanted our last day together to be special. That’s why I took you out. But I never intended to sleep with you.”

Now, with the sting of tears in his eyes, Guan Shan felt his face heat up with both sadness and shame.

“So then what was it? A pity fuck?” The crack in his voice should have embarrassed him, but he couldn’t feel any worse than he already did.

With an unreadable expression, He Tian moved in closer and settled between Guan Shan’s legs while he sat on the counter. Brushing his hand through Guan Shan’s hair, He Tian gently pulled him into an embrace.

Moving his own hands to rest on He Tian’s chest, Guan Shan could feel the rumble of the other man’s words as he spoke.

“Of course not. I wish I could go back to that day and do things differently. I swear, it wasn’t a mistake that we slept together, but it was a mistake in how it happened. I knew it was a bad idea, but I was young and impulsive. I couldn’t stop myself from being with you when you asked because I wanted it so badly. I wanted you, and I still do. Not just for your body, but I want you for you. Guan Shan, I-”

“Stop... please don’t say it.” Guan Shan didn’t want to hear the words; they would break his soul.

“Why not?” He Tian’s tone was torn between indignation and doubt.

Though he didn’t want to say it again, Guan Shan knew he had to.

“Idiot, you know why.” His voice was quiet against He Tian’s shoulder. “What’s the point of saying something like that when it’s too late?”

Moving to push away, Guan Shan felt the other man’s hand fall from his head onto his back. The firm touch instantly caused the scratches on his back to scream in pain.

As he sucked in a hissing breath with a flinch, He Tian immediately let go of his hold. Concern etched the guy’s features.

“What happened? Are you alright?”

The worry in his voice made Guan Shan cringe internally. Waving his non-injured hand, he tried to dismiss the incident.

“It was nothing, don’t worry about it.” Guan Shan was mentally slapping himself. If there was anything he’d hoped to avoid, it was talking about She Li.

Of course, the dark-haired man was never one to relent easily. He Tian gave him a firm look after zeroing in on his neck. Though they were faint, Guan Shan was sure he saw the few bite marks that painted his skin.

Not letting it go this time, the taller man pressed him.

“Let me see your back.” The tone was firm, leaving no room to argue.

Yet, Guan Shan wasn’t one to back down either.

“Fuck off, no.” Right as he went to jump down from the counter, He Tian lunged forward and planted himself in the way. With each of his hands placed on either side of Guan Shan, there was nowhere he could run.

Giving him a dark look, the other man’s expression had Guan Shan averting his gaze.

Now, He Tian leaned forward.

“Don’t make me take your shirt off myself.”

Instantly, Guan Shan felt like he used to when they were younger. He was sure the guy meant what he said...

“F-Fine.” With a slight hesitation, Guan Shan reached down and pulled his shirt over his head. Once it was off, he saw He Tian’s eyes immediately look at his shoulder.

With a gruff tone, He Tian's face was unreadable.

“Is that from She Li?” Moving his hand, the taller man went to gently thumb the dark bite mark that She Li had sunk into his shoulder.

Instantly slapping the hand away, Guan Shan sounded colder than he had meant to.

“Don’t fucking touch me like that.” He didn’t want the dark-haired man to see that part of his life. If he kept giving into his softness, it would only give him the wrong idea.

Just then, He Tian’s features went cold when the guy saw his back in the mirror behind him. No doubt he was upset, yet his response was subdued.

“Those look irritated. Let me clean them so they don’t get infected.” The other man obviously wanted to say more, but he was being careful with his words.

Feeling his heart clench, Guan Shan looked down.

“They’re fine. I don’t-”

“Guan Shan.” The sound of his voice made it clear that He Tian needed this more than he did.

With a sigh, he pushed the dark-haired man back from the counter with a shaky hand.

“Do whatever you want, I guess.” Now he hopped down from his seat and awkwardly turned around.

Leaning against the counter, Guan Shan watched in the mirror as He Tian took in the full sight of his back for the first time. Though Guan Shan could never see it, he knew it was just as bad, if not worse, than how his front midsection looked.

He half expected a barrage of questions, but when He Tian just cleaned the scratches in silence, he felt his anxiety rise in his chest. The man’s expression was fierce; like he was holding himself back from saying something.

As time went on, Guan Shan ended up breaking the silence first.

“It’s not as bad as it looks, you know.” Though he didn’t want to go into it, he almost felt obligated to. Looking down at the counter, Guan Shan’s hands idly played with his discarded shirt.

Behind him, he heard the other man rustling through the first aid kit before he spoke in a restrained tone.

“Was he the one who did all this to you?”

The question had Guan Shan’s face become red with shame. Shaking his head, he replied quietly.

“No...” Now he felt the other man’s gentle fingers as they rubbed something into his back. “Most of the bruises are just from fights.”

He purposefully didn't mention where the rest of his injuries came from. Neither of them wanted that to be said out loud, and they both knew the answer anyway.

As the guy finished tending to his back, Guan Shan dared to steal a glance in the mirror at the dark-haired man. Unfortunately, the look on He Tian’s face only served to punch him in the gut.

Without thinking, Guan Shan's mouth ran before his mind could catch up.

“Don’t just stand there with such a look on your face. If you have something to say, just fucking say it.”

Now, He Tian pushed the first aid kit aside and moved beside Guan Shan. Looking at him directly, the other man's words were blunt.

“You know you don’t have to stay with him. If you just let me help you-”

Guan Shan gave the other man his own nasty look back. He knew he was about to sabotage himself, but he couldn’t help it.

“Let you help me? So then I can go from being in She Li’s pocket to yours?”

“What!? No-”

Not giving He Tian a chance to speak, Guan Shan kept going.

“And you know, it’s pretty fucking cocky of you to assume I even want your help. Does it hurt your ego so much to think that maybe I... want to be with him instead of you?”

He paused for only a second, but it was enough time for He Tian’s suspicion to grow. Calling his bluff, the taller man narrowed his eyes.

“My _ego_ has nothing to do with this. But I’d have to be either blind or stupid to believe you enjoy being with that snake.”

Knowing he was losing the argument; Guan Shan fell into his normal defensive attitude.

“Either way, it’s none of your damn business what I do.” Steeling himself, he clenched his fist around the fabric of his shirt that was still on the counter. “The whole reason I even came here tonight was to ask that you stay out of my life.”

He watched the look on He Tian’s face become callous.

“And what if I say no?” His tone was defiant but didn’t hold its usual confidence.

Pulling on his shirt now, Guan Shan was preparing to make a run for it. Seeing the other man’s pained face hurt him more than he’d like to admit.

“Then you’d be a fucking selfish asshole.” Going to move, He Tian seemed to read his mind and blocked his exit. Crossing his arms over his chest, Guan Shan continued. “I don’t need nor want your help. If anything, you showing back up has made things worse.”

“What do you mean made things worse?” The other man sounded hurt.

Shaking his head, Guan Shan looked to the floor; he didn't want to open that can of worms.

“Nothing. Forget I said anything.”

Letting the silence hang between them, they stood there for a little while before He Tian walked up to him.

Lightly touching Guan Shan’s chin, He Tian guided his head until they looked at each other. Staring at him with sadness in his eyes, the taller man seemed to be memorizing his face.

“I only want you to be happy.”

The words had Guan Shan scoff reflexively.

“Being happy is a luxury. I’m fine with just getting by.”

Unimpressed, He Tian frowned.

“Listen, I want to help you so you can choose what you want to do with your life. I won’t lie, I absolutely hate that bastard and the thought of you being with him makes me angry. But even if it kills me to see you with someone else, if that’s what you want, I’ll respect that.” When Guan Shan didn’t say anything, He Tian sighed. “Will you at least think about it?”

If he was being honest, he was surprised by the way He Tian was acting. Maybe things really had changed over the last two years?

Though he knew he should say no, something was stopping him from flat out refusing the guy's request. _This was only going to lead to more trouble..._

Shifting his stance, Guan Shan relented.

“Fine, I’ll think about it. But on one condition.”

“Anything.” He Tian’s face resembled the look of an excited kid, and it made Guan Shan’s stomach flutter.

Pushing the feeling aside, Guan Shan put on his fiercest scowl.

“You need to promise to stop showing up unannounced. And _never_ go to the club again.” To drive the point home, he jabbed his finger into the taller man’s chest. “I mean it.”

Bringing his hand to his chin, He Tian looked to the side as he thought it over.

“Does that mean I can show up _announced~_ ” The sly smile spreading across He Tian’s features made Guan Shan look down to hide his slight blush.

“Don’t push it, bastard.”

Now, the dark-haired man put on his award-winning smile.

“I’m only going off what you said~” Abruptly, the other man’s face turned serious. “Is it too much to ask that you stay the night? I promise, no funny business. I just want to spend more time with you.”

Feeling the pit in his stomach grow, Guan Shan didn’t want to get swept away by the guy's presence. If anything, it would be best if they didn’t get too comfortable with each other again...

“Yes, it’s too much to ask. And no, I’m not staying the night. I’m fucking exhausted and haven’t had a normal night at my own damn place for a while.” Pulling out his phone, he saw the time and frowned. “Actually, I should probably get going.”

He Tian looked disappointed but kept his reply neutral.

“Okay...”

 _Ugh._ Why does that guy have to make such a miserable face?

After they both exited the bathroom, Guan Shan quietly put on his coat and shoes near the front door. Behind him, he heard He tian walk closer as he spoke.

“You know, I’m glad you came.” Leaning against the wall, the other man had a somber tone about him. “I really would like it if we could catch up sometime? Even if it’s just as friends.”

For some reason, those words cut Guan Shan deep though he knew they shouldn’t. Playing with the fabric of his shirt, he avoided looking at the taller man.

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t lying when I said I’m usually busy.” Sneaking a glance, He Tian’s face made his heart clench with guilt. “But if I have time... maybe we can.”

Though he knew he was being stupid, he couldn’t help himself. Every time they met up, it was as if his mind forgot everything that happened. But he was too practical to believe that maybe things could work out for once.

Now, He Tian cleared his throat.

“Do you want me to give you a ride back?”

Snapping to attention, Guan Shan immediately refused.

“No, I drove myself.” Thankfully, he could dodge that bullet; sitting in the car with the other man after tonight would have just been weird.

Feeling a little awkward now, Guan Shan moved to the door. Before he was fully out of the apartment, he heard He Tian mumble a quiet goodbye.

“Talk to you later.” The soft tone was uncharacteristic of the usually confident man.

Not knowing how to respond, Guan Shan didn’t want to give in to the hope sprouting in his heart.

“Yeah...” Unable to say anything else, he let the door shut behind him. As he rode the elevator down to the lobby, he internally berated himself for letting He Tian get under his skin again.

This was only going to blow up in his face later. _How could he be such a fucking idiot?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a longer chapter. These boy's had a lot to talk about! My reasoning behind He Tian leaving with Jian Yi was because of chapters 166-169. Somehow, He Tian knew something was going to happen, and he seems like the kind of guy who protects his friends. But, I tend to read between the lines quite liberally for the sake of this fic haha.
> 
> Anyway! Now that they've aired out all that dirty laundry, we're going to have a fluff chapter next. I was thinking maybe a movie night with all 4 boys? I'm quite excited to write some cute scenes after all this angst!
> 
> Let me know what you think!


	12. Movie Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys get together for a movie night!

Lying in bed, He Tian sighed while he scrolled through the latest of Mo’s texts. It had been a little over a month since they had their face-to-face talk, and the redhead had been dodging him ever since.

Quietly, he scowled to himself as he re-read the multiple conversations that never seemed to go anywhere. Every time He Tian had even broached the topic of meeting up, the other man quickly deflected him with his usual ‘busy’ excuse. Frankly, he was starting to reach the end of his patience, but he had to stay focused on the goal. This wasn’t for him, it was for Little Mo.

Besides that, experience told him that if he didn’t approach this carefully, it would only push the other man away. Even if he wanted to protect him, he didn’t want to overwhelm the other man with too much too fast. After all, He Tian knew it was going to take more than just a single talk to fix everything between them. Mainly, because the redhead avoided emotional confrontations like the plague, so anything that couldn’t be solved with a fist was a touchy subject.

In fact, the task of fixing their relationship felt insurmountable at times, given everything that had happened. It was unthinkable to imagine what Mo had gone through over the last two years.

When he had first learned about the situation from Buzzcut, his guilt was overwhelming. Not only was the snake blackmailing Mo, but he was doing it in the sleaziest way possible. What drove She Li to take things so far? Could it be an inadvertent way to get back at him, or maybe it was just the guy's sick infatuation with Little Mo?

 _Ugh_. Even just thinking about it was enough to make him feel murderous regardless of the reason. If he ever got his hands on that bastard...

Despite the fact that it was technically She Li who was hurting Mo, He Tian still felt responsible in some way. The first thing he needed to do was rip his brother a new one; he hadn’t kept his end of the deal since those men crawled back out of the shadows. Even if it was too late, he would make sure that those men never showed their faces in public again.

Yet much to his own annoyance, the whole situation still had him feeling powerless, and he hated that. It felt as though he was stuck; like he couldn’t do everything he wanted to, and it was killing him. The only silver lining was that seeing Little Mo for their talk had motivated He Tian to get his shit together. He had no time for self-loathing if he was going to get him away from that bastard for good.

As much as he wanted to, he wouldn’t do anything without the other man’s consent. If he went ahead and forced him out of that situation, it would be a betrayal of Mo’s trust. He was afraid that it would only cement his idea that other people dictated his life and that he was just a passive bystander in his own fate.

If anything, He Tian wanted Mo to feel like he had control. He needed to choose to leave She Li on his own, but he would have He Tian there behind him the entire way. However, the redhead never made things easy.

Sighing, he decided to finally type out another text to Little Mo.

_He Tian: ‘Hey~ Why don’t you come over tomorrow? I want you to make something delicious~’_

Almost immediately, his phone lit up with a response.

_Mo: ‘Busy.’_

He had been trying to respect Mo’s space in the beginning, but the guy could be stubborn as fuck sometimes. It seemed like tonight was no exception.

With a scowl, he typed another message and tried to hide his annoyance.

_He Tian: ‘You’re always busy. I don’t mind if it’s late~ I just want to see you.'_

Within a minute, his phone buzzed in his hand.

_Mo: ‘Can’t. I picked up an extra shift. Maybe you should learn how to cook for yourself.’_

Feeling a little more disappointed than he wanted to acknowledge, he frowned at the response. It was clear that the redhead was avoiding him. That cheeky bastard... Well, he wasn’t going to back down so easily this time.

_He Tian: ‘If I’m going to learn, I’d need a good teacher~’_

_He Tian: ‘Though, you’re always busy when I ask. How about you tell me when you’re free, and we can plan something for then?’_

He doubted this would work, but he had to try... Unfortunately, the reply came a little too quick to be genuine.

_Mo: ‘I’m always busy.’_

He had to resist the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose as his brow twitched. Instead, he let out a short huff. Guess he was going to have to play a little dirty.

_He Tian: ‘I know I promised to not show up unannounced, but I never agreed that Jian Yi wouldn’t. I’ve been keeping him at bay, but who knows how long that will last~’_

Judging by the long pause before getting a reply, He Tian was sure the redhead was scowling at his phone. Thinking about how cute Mo probably looked had him smiling.

_Mo: ‘Don’t you dare send him anywhere near my place or the club!’_

Laughing to himself, he couldn’t help but tease the guy. Sometimes, it was too easy to rile him up.

_He Tian: ‘Hey now, I would never send him to your place. Though, you know how pushy he can be about that kind of stuff.’_

_He Tian: ‘When he wants to hang out, there’s not much you can do to dissuade him. Your best option would be to give in now, or else you’ll have to deal with him coming to you eventually.’_

Hoping that was enough pressure, He Tian waited with bated breath for Little Mo’s reply. When the seconds turned into minutes, however, he could feel his heart start to sink in his chest. Maybe he had pushed too far?

Letting his phone fall from his hand to the bed, He Tian rolled onto his side. Lying there, he sighed quietly. Sometimes, it felt like he was trying too hard. It left him wondering, where exactly did the line fall between Mo just being stubborn and not actually wanting his help?

Feeling frustrated by his own insecurity, he pushed the thought from his mind. If the other man genuinely didn’t want him in his life, he had no doubt that the guy wouldn’t even humor him. He Tian smirked at the thought; Little Mo certainly wasn’t a pushover.

After sulking for about twenty minutes, he suddenly felt his phone vibrate next to him on the bed. Practically diving for it, he swiped open the screen and felt his stomach flip in excitement.

_Mo: ‘This Sunday night at 7. Your place.’_

_Mo: ‘I can only do that time, and if you’re busy, then not my problem.’_

He could practically kiss Jian Yi for being so persistent! There was no doubt that the blonde had been pestering Little Mo probably more than he was. Jian Yi had a knack for bordering on obnoxious, and it was the perfect excuse to motivate the redhead.

Smiling to himself, he figured he better not push his luck too much further. This was the most he’d gotten from the redhead since their talk, and he didn’t want to mess it up.

_He Tian: ‘That’s fine by me. I’ll see you then~’_

Feeling like they were finally moving forward, his heart pounded in his chest. Quickly, he typed out a message to Jian Yi.

_He Tian: ‘You guys up for something this Sunday around 7pm?’_

_He Tian: ‘Little Mo agreed to come over~’_

Instantly, the device vibrated in his hand, and he grinned.

_Jian Yi: ‘Fuck yeah! Took him long enough...’_

_He Tian: ‘I told him you’d stalk him if he didn’t agree to come over at least once.’_

_He Tian: ‘I don’t blame him for being scared. That would be a nightmare for anyone.’_

_Jian Yi: ‘_ ( ` ﾛ ´ )凸 _’_

_Jian Yi: ‘Even though you’re a chicken dick bastard, I’m still willing to offer my expert services to make sure we have a fun night!’_

Immediately, He Tian laughed to himself; the relaxed back and forth felt so normal.

He Tian knew Jian Yi played the comedian on purpose, but he was grateful for the distraction. As much as the blonde pretended to be oblivious to his surroundings, the guy was more observant than most gave him credit for.

Leaving the planning to Jian Yi, now He Tian just had to keep himself preoccupied until Sunday.

* * *

The rest of the week seemed to fly by in a blur. Before the weekend finally rolled around, He Tian made sure to make preparations for their _Sunday Funday_ , as Jian Yi had taken to calling it. In fact, Jian Yi and Zheng Xi ended up coming over early on Sunday, mainly because the excitable man couldn’t wait until the scheduled time.

After setting things up, the blonde took to ordering a mountain of food for the four of them, all on He Tian’s dime, of course. Not only did they have their take out, but Jian Yi had given He Tian a shopping list requesting practically every type of junk food you could imagine.

The only thing Jian Yi and Zheng Xi brought was the booze. And boy, they had enough to throw a small party. Though He Tian knew it was mostly for the blonde, considering the ever so stoic brunette was usually Jian Yi’s wrangler. There was no way the two of them would be getting drunk when they both knew someone had to get Jian Yi home.

As tiring as this was bound to be, He Tian welcomed the entertainment; the two of them made it easy to keep his mind off of more dangerous thoughts. However, as the day turned to night and the 7pm deadline came and went, he couldn’t quite keep his mood from turning south.

Sitting on his couch, He Tian absently scrolled through his phone as he watched the clock. It was getting to be almost 8pm, and Mo still hadn’t shown up yet. The most worrying part was that he hadn’t even texted any of them to let them know he was running late...

Without him realizing, he must have been making a sour face because Jian Yi piped up from his spot on the couch.

“Do you think he ditched?” Looking over, He Tian saw the blonde lying across Zheng Xi’s lap nursing a beer as he continued. “I mean, don’t you think it seemed kinda odd that he suddenly agreed to come over after avoiding us for so long?"

Not in the mood, He Tian looked back at his phone for the umpteenth time in the last hour.

“He didn’t ditch.” His voice sounded more forced than he had meant it to. “Little Mo wouldn’t have bothered to agree if he wasn’t going to show up. If anything, he would have told me to fuck off.”

Rolling back into a sitting position, Jian Yi pouted as he sank down into the couch pillows.

“Well even if that’s true, he shouldn’t be so _rude_ to keep us waiting.”

The slight blush on the blonde’s cheeks was a clear sign that the drinks were starting to go to his head. Taking the beer from his hand, Zheng Xi held it out of his reach.

“Hey!" Jian Yi whined as he failed to grab the drink. "Give that back!”

Now, the brunette gave the other man a solemn look as he pushed him back into his seat.

“You should probably slow down. We’re going to have a late-night, and you don’t want to pass out halfway through the movie.”

He Tian chuckled to himself; that guy was always the practical one. At that, Jian Yi scoffed.

“I have a high tolerance; I’ll have you know!” Using his finger to accent his words, the smaller man continued. “I only have a slight buzz going, and I don’t want these drinks to go to waste since you two old farts aren’t having any!”

Watching the exchange from his own seat, He Tian saw Zheng Xi sigh as he brought Jian Yi’s beer to his lips. While the guy took a long pull from the bottle, Jian Yi’s face grew beet red as he stammered.

“W-What are you doing Zhan Xixi, that’s mine!” Since he was feeling it, the blonde had a more difficult time hiding his reactions. His embarrassed waffling was quite the sight.

Releasing the bottle from his mouth with a shrug, Zheng Xi held out the nearly empty beer to the complaining man.

“Sorry. Here, you can have it back.” Since the brunette was playing it cool, Jian Yi immediately averted his gaze.

Quickly covering his mouth with the back of his hand, the blonde’s voice became a flustered whisper.

“N-No... You can have it."

Rolling his eyes, He Tian scoffed at the two of them.

“So bashful~ Is this what tonight is going to turn into? Me having to watch you two flirt like middle school girls?”

“We aren’t flirting!” Both men spoke in unison; one frantic and the other coy.

The way the two of them feigned innocence had He Tian laughing, and he couldn’t resist teasing them with a mischievous grin.

“Look, I don’t care what you do at your own place. Just keep it above the clothes here, if you would. I don’t want to go to the bathroom only to come back and find you two pegging each other on the couch."

Immediately, Jian Yi dove into the mountain of pillows to hide his blushed face.

“SHUT UP!! Stop being such a chicken dick asshole!”

The reaction made He Tian snicker. Even better, he managed to make Zheng Xi blush. Bonus!

Just then, He Tian’s phone vibrated in his hand, and his heart nearly stopped. Quickly reading the message, he held his breath when he saw who it was from.

_Mo: ‘I’m in the hallway, but the door is locked. Let me in, or I'm leaving.’_

Practically sprinting from his seat, He Tian barely registered Jian Yi’s surprised cries behind him as he went to the front door. In the back of his mind, he couldn’t help but feel that this was sort of like a double date.

Remembering his promise to the redhead, He Tian shook his head. _Don’t be stupid. This is supposed to be just a hang out between friends._

Though he knew it wasn’t an actual date, his slight nervousness still had him fixing his hair and straightening his clothes before reaching for the handle. Once he opened the door, his heart fluttered when he looked at the man in front of him.

Standing in the doorway, Mo only glanced at him for a second before turning his gaze to the floor. Hands in his jacket pockets, the guy toed the carpet as he cleared his throat.

“Sorry, I know I'm late. I had some stuff to finish before coming over, and it took longer than I thought...”

Looking at him, He Tian was glad to see that all of the previous scrapes and bruises were gone since the last time he’d seen him. Though that didn’t mean he couldn’t have new ones hidden elsewhere.

Giving him a more careful once over, He Tian could see just how exhausted the smaller man seemed to be. The dark circles beneath his eyes, accompanied by the barely noticeable slump in his shoulders, all told him that Mo was probably working more overtime again. The guy never knew when to take a break, even at the cost of his own health...

Waving his hand, He Tian put on his most convincing smile to try and put the redhead at ease.

“Don’t worry about it. Come in~ We’ve got drinks and a movie all lined up. The food we ordered is a little cold by now, but there’s plenty of other snacks to choose from if you want something else.”

Moving to walk back into the apartment, He Tian was stopped by a hand tugging on his forearm. Turning around, he saw the conflicted look of worry on Mo’s face.

“Wait...” Glancing into the apartment, Mo quickly stepped out of sight of the other two men looking over the back of the couch. In a low tone, he leaned forward and whispered. “D-Do they... _know?_ ”

He Tian’s stomach twisted at the other man’s obvious discomfort. He didn’t have to ask to know what he meant.

“No.” He Tian softened his voice on reflex. “I haven’t told anyone about our talk.”

Even though He Tian wanted to tell the other two what he learned about Mo’s situation, he couldn’t do it. Not that he didn’t trust them, but he knew Mo should be the one to tell them if he ever wanted to. It just didn’t feel right talking about something so personal without the other person knowing.

Putting on an easy smile, He Tian spoke again.

“Relax, alright? Tonight isn’t an ambush. We genuinely just want to have a fun night with our friend.” Looking at the other man, he frowned as he continued. “Though, they aren’t as oblivious as you think. They know something’s up, but they won’t pressure you into talking if you don’t want to. So really, try to have some fun tonight, okay?”

Gently squeezing Mo’s hand, He Tian pouted when the redhead only scowled and took his hand back. Crossing his arms over his chest, the smaller man sounded guarded.

"Who the hell can have fun with you idiots?" Mo's words were sharp, and his posture betrayed his unease.

He Tian could tell he was more on edge than usual tonight and without thinking, he reached out to comfort the other man. Not surprisingly, Little Mo immediately turned his gaze to the floor and brushed past him into the apartment. He Tian should have expected that, but it still stung a little.

Closing the front door behind him, he watched as Mo made his way into the living room. Jian Yi clearly already had a buzz going because he practically launched himself at the guy the moment he was within range.

“Redhead!” Arm hooked around Mo’s shoulder, the blonde pulled him down to the couch and pouted. “You know, it’s rude to be late. We’ve been waiting to start the movie this WHOLE time!”

Gruffly tugging at the blonde’s arm, Mo tried to shimmy away from him.

“Shut up! I was busy.” Unsuccessful at freeing himself, the redhead frowned as he settled into his now designated role as Jian Yi’s cushion. “You could have started the movie without me just like you clearly started the drinking.”

Still hanging onto Mo, Jian Yi rolled his eyes as he waved his free hand.

“Don’t be such a downer, there’s plenty left!” The blonde cooed as he shifted forward and grabbed an untouched cherry wheat beer from the coffee table. Handing it to Mo, he smiled playfully. “I picked this one out special because it reminded me of your red hair~”

Looking at the bottle with knitted brows, Mo scoffed.

“Do you have shit for brains, or are you just an idiot?” Though it sounded like an insult, they could all hear the underlying teasing tone to the redhead’s words as he took the drink.

Throwing a hand over his chest, Jian Yi put on a childish face as he feigned offense.

“Hey! This is a good beer; you should appreciate my fine tastes!”

“Fine tastes!?” Mo mocked and huffed in disbelief. “You’d eat garbage if someone let you! That’s why we never let you pick out ingredients after the shit you bought for our picnic trip that time.”

Now they all shared a laugh, and it felt like the first real one He Tian had in weeks. Watching those two interact felt like they were back in middle school. It was nice.

Deciding it best to keep his distance, He Tian sat to the other side of Zheng Xi on the farthest part of the couch from Mo. Though he wanted to be as touchy as Jian Yi, he knew that wouldn’t go over nearly as smoothly. Feeling his heart sink, he was a little jealous of how easily the blonde was able to break through Mo’s defenses.

Shaking the thought from his head, He Tian looked at the three other men and gestured to the TV he had set up for tonight.

“So, did we finally settle on a movie to watch?” Before Mo showed up, the three of them had bickered about what genre to pick. And right on cue, the blonde that was still slumped against Mo piped up.

“Shut it! No one liked your suggestion anyway!” Turning now, Jian Yi smiled when he looked at Mo. “Oh~ I have an idea! How about we let Redhead pick?”

With the sudden announcement, Mo’s face instantly went to its default scowl.

“What kind of chicken dick idea is that!? Like I care what we watch?” Being the focal point of the room clearly made the guy uncomfortable.

Reading the air, Zheng Xi spoke up to take some of the attention from Mo.

“You could be the tie-breaker? He Tian wanted to watch a horror movie, Jian Yi voted for a comedy, and I suggested an action movie.” With an ever-impassive expression, the brunette simply looked at Mo. “Since we couldn’t decide, you can pick one of our suggestions.”

Knitting his brows together, Mo started picking at the label of his unopened beer, clearly uneasy as he mumbled under his breath.

“Seriously, why the fuck does it matter what we watch?"

He Tian could tell that Little Mo was acting distant. As if he felt obligated to come over rather than him wanting to be here.

Next to the redhead, the blonde playfully laid his head against Mo’s shoulder.

“Come on~ Don’t be so sour. Just pick one!”

Deepening his frown while still looking at his bottle, Mo shrugged.

“Action, I guess.”

Leaning forward from his seat, He Tian grabbed the remote off the table to start shuffling through their movie choices. With a sigh, he playfully teased the redhead.

“Aw~ And here I was excited to see everyone get spooked.”

Immediately, Mo looked up at him with a worried expression before quickly hiding it behind his usual scowl.

“You can put on whatever you want. I already said I didn’t care...” With his voice wavering ever so slightly, it seemed as though Mo was nervous around them.

Feeling a small pang of guilt, He Tian quickly deflected.

“Nah, then we’d have to deal with Jian Yi becoming even more of a blubbering mess. And I don’t relish the thought of watching those two play kissy-face.” With a smirk, he winked at the blonde, trusting he would catch what he was trying to do. Of course, Jian Yi did, but the guy still shot him a dirty look as he tossed a pillow his way.

“You can shove your scary movie up your ass! No one cares about what you want to watch. Just put something on and stop complaining.” Scooting away from Mo now, the blonde started rummaging through the snacks on the coffee table. “Oh~ I love these!”

Sitting back into the cushions again, Jian Yi started ripping open his newfound treat. Quickly taking a bite of the chocolate bar, the blonde casually pointed to the pile of sweets on the table as he looked to Mo.

“Don’t you want any?”

The redhead barely spared a glance at the mountain of food before furrowing his brows.

“No thanks.” The curt response caused a slightly awkward silence to fall over the room.

Hoping to ease the tension, He Tian decided to pick the first movie he saw, not really paying attention to the title or what it was about. He didn’t really care what they watched at this point. He just needed to put something on to help fill the void of dead air.

Settling in, they let the movie take their attention. Every now and then, Jian Yi would comment about the actors or scenes and try to draw everyone into a conversation. However, He Tian's attention was too focused on Little Mo as he sat on the opposite end of the couch.

He hadn’t noticed at first, but the redhead seemed really out of it. For one, the other man still hadn’t opened the beer Jian Yi had handed him earlier. Instead, he only held it in his hands while he absently traced the lettering on the label with his finger. It looked as if his mind was somewhere else.

If he was being honest with himself, He Tian knew this plan had the potential to backfire on him. He wasn’t looking for miracles, but if Mo could at least have a fun time, he would be happy with that.

Deciding to take matters into his own hands, He Tian smirked to himself as he pulled his phone free from his pocket.

* * *

For the last hour, Guan Shan had been sitting on the couch trying to watch the dumb movie over Jian Yi's incessant babbling. Not that he particularly cared for the movie, but at least it was something to keep his mind off of what happened earlier...

Suddenly, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, and his heart clenched. Hoping it wasn't who he thought it was, Guan Shan swiftly pulled the device from his pocket. Looking at the message, he knitted his brows in confusion.

_He Tian: 'You're so cute when you're distracted~'_

Then He Tian sent a photo of him sitting on the couch playing with his beer.

Looking across the sofa, Guan Shan scowled when he locked eyes with the idiot as he wiggled his brows mischievously. With a short huff, he texted him back.

_Guan Shan: 'I'm not distracted. This movie just sucks.'_

His phone buzzed back almost immediately.

_He Tian: 'Now now, don't lie~ I know the face you make when your mind is thinking about something else.'_

_He Tian: 'Did something happen before you came over?'_

Leave it to He Tian to read him like a book. Hastily typing out one of his usual dismissive replies, he stopped before he hit send.

Worrying his bottom lip, Guan Shan decided to ignore the voice in the back of his mind telling him to push him away. Instead, he told him the truth; well, mostly the truth.

_Guan Shan: 'It's no big deal. I got in a fight with She Li about seeing him tonight.'_

Before he had left work to come over, She Li had surprised him with a call. The guy never did that unless he was looking for something, and Guan Shan could tell by his tone what it was.

She Li had wanted him to come to the club, which basically translated to ‘I want to fuck.’ Since he already had plans for the evening, he had tried to brush the other man off, but the guy could be pretty relentless when he wanted to be.

In the end, he had stayed firm and said he was busy. Normally, that would have been enough to get him off his back, but this time they ended up fighting about it.

That’s actually why he had been running late. They had spent the better part of an hour yelling at each other over the phone. And now, Guan Shan had been ignoring his obsessive texts ever since.

Glancing over at the dark-haired man, Guan Shan watched as He Tian's expression soured when he read the text. Of course, that only set him up for more questions.

_He Tian: 'He wanted to see you? For what?'_

Mentally facepalming, he decided to keep the details to himself for that idiot's sake.

_Guan Shan: 'It's not important.'_

_Guan Shan: 'Seriously, who made this movie? It's terrible.'_

Hoping the change in subject worked, Guan Shan was startled when Jian Yi suddenly shouted next to him.

"Oh! I completely forgot!" Unsteadily getting up from his seat, the blonde stumbled to the other side of the room where they were keeping their stuff. Rummaging through his bag, the other man pulled out a bottle and brought it back over to the couch.

Once he got closer, Guan Shan realized it was a bottle of Vodka. _Just great, that's the last thing this idiot needs..._

Now the blonde looked over to He Tian with a wide grin as he wiggled excitedly.

"Do you have any shot glasses? Since no one's really watching the movie, I figure we can liven things up with a little drinking game~"

This had bad news written all over it. Watching He Tian give Jian Yi a weary glance, the dark-haired man nodded as he stood up.

"I do have shot glasses, but are you sure you need to be taking shots?"

Waving his hand dismissively, Jian Yi snorted in defiance.

" _Pfft_ , stop being such a mom! It's only a little game, and no one technically _has_ to take a shot."

Now, Zheng Xi leaned forward.

"And what exactly is this game?"

Trying his hardest to undo the cork with his uncoordinated movements, Jian Yi smirked.

"I'm glad you asked~" Abruptly, the cork came free with a loud pop as he continued. "It's like truth or dare, except you take a shot instead of doing a dare."

Instantly, Guan Shan's stomach dropped. Crossing his arms over his chest defensively, he scowled.

"I'll pass. You three chicken dicks can play all you want."

Pouting, the blonde moved to cuddle up to Guan Shan, nearly knocking the bottle over as his foot accidentally kicked the coffee table. Luckily, Zheng Xi was already in a position to catch it.

Leaning in, Jian Yi whined.

"But you have to play! It's been so long since the gang's been all together!"

At that, Guan Shan rolled his eyes.

"I don't _have_ to do anything." Moving to push the smaller man away from him, Guan Shan tried to get up.

Clinging to his waist, Jian Yi held him down.

"Wait! Wait! Don't go!"

Just as things were getting loud, He Tian came back into the room and placed four shot glasses on the table. Making eye contact with him, the taller man gave him an unreadable look.

"You don't have to play, but you're not allowed to run away."

The look in those dark eyes had Guan Shan's chest tighten. Letting out a small huff, he sank back down into his seat much to Jian Yi's delight.

"Yay! Good job, He Tian!" Giving He Tian a sloppy thumbs up and a wink, the blonde scooted back towards the bottle and started pouring the shots. "Alright, who wants to go first!?"

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Guan Shan watched the scene unfold before him. He Tian took one of the glasses and held it up.

"I'll go first~"

Excited, the blonde tapped his chin while he thought of a question.

"Oh! Here's a good one. Since you were always Mr. Smartass in school, did you ever cheat on an exam?"

Thinking it over, He Tian smirked.

"No. Unlike you, I'm not a dumbass and actually studied." Though despite answering, the dark-haired man still took the shot.

Frowning, Jian Yi scoffed.

"You're not supposed to take the shot if you answer the question. Don't ruin the game!"

Shrugging his shoulders, He Tian put the glass back on the table.

"Just one for good measure~" Giving the blonde a wink, He Tian passed a shot to Zheng Xi. "Alright, my turn. So, Zhan Zheng Xi, what's your biggest turn on in bed?"

Immediately, everyone's faces went red except He Tian as he smiled like the bastard he was. To the brunettes left, Jian Yi whispered with dusted cheeks.

"Zhan Xixi, are you actually going to answer?"

Without a word, the quiet man just took the shot and kept his gaze on his empty glass. Laughing, He Tian grinned at the blonde.

"Sorry, Jian Yi. I tried to help you out, but it looks like you'll have to get the answer from him yourself~"

Picking up his own glass, Jian Yi's face flushed even harder.

"Shut up!" Turning to the brunette, Jian Yi continued. "Alright, your turn to ask me anything!"

It was obvious he wanted some kind of spicy question, but instead, Zheng Xi looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Last month when you came to my place drunk, did you use my toothbrush to brush your teeth?"

Guan Shan didn't think Jian Yi's face could get any redder. Immediately downing the shot, the blonde coughed as Guan Shan shook his head.

"I didn't think you could sink so low... You're disgusting."

Whipping around, the blonde pointed an accusatory finger at him.

"Shush! People who aren't playing the game don't get to comment on other players!"

Feeling a little left out, Guan Shan leaned forward and grabbed a shot.

"Fine. I'll play." Watching the blonde's eyes grow wide, he waited for him to ask a question.

Across the couch, He Tian chimed in.

"Just for the record, I'd let Little Mo use my toothbrush if he wanted~"

Scrunching his nose in disgust, Guan Shan recoiled.

"Ew, what the fuck!? You know what? I take it back. You're all sickos."

"Oh, Oh!" Grabbing his arm, Jian Yi finally thought of a question. "Okay, do you pee in the shower?"

Furrowing his brows, Guan Shan looked at the smaller man.

"What kind of fucking question is that? You're telling me that's the best you could come up with?"

From over the blonde's shoulder, Zheng Xi interjected.

"He's right you know, that one was kinda lame."

Huffing to himself, Jian Yi rolled his eyes.

"Fine!" Thinking hard, his drunk brain finally gave him a question. "Okay, what's the most embarrassing thing you've done?"

He should have expected that. Weighing his options, Guan Shan raised his glass to his lips and took the shot.

Next to him, Jian Yi mocked him.

"No surprise there, Redhead never admits to anything."

Putting the glass down to be refilled, Guan Shan shot him a look.

"Oh, shut up. I'm playing the game at least." Now, it was his turn to ask He Tian a question. Giving it some thought, he settled on something tame. "He Tian, what are you most self-conscious about?"

Frowning slightly, the dark-haired man held his gaze as he spoke.

"I'm self-conscious about people leaving me behind after they find out who I really am behind my mask." The sincerity of his answer caught everyone off guard, but he never broke eye contact with Guan Shan. Then he smirked. "I read that in a book once, was it convincing?"

Huffing in annoyance, Jian Yi playfully hit his shoulder.

"You jerk. Take this seriously! If you're not going to answer truthfully, then take the shot."

Laughing, He Tian threw back his shot but Guan Shan knew it was a front. The dark-haired man had a look on his face when he answered that told him it was the truth.

Recovering quickly, He Tian passed a glass to Zheng Xi.

"Alright, my turn again, and you better answer this time." Rubbing his hands together mischievously, the dark-haired man's eyes gleamed. "Have you ever made out with someone here?"

Instantly, both Zheng Xi and Jian Yi gaped at him like they were just caught red-handed. As the brunette took the shot, He Tian laughed at their reactions.

"You don't even need to answer, I already know~"

At that, Jian Yi unceremoniously gave He Tian the middle finger.

"Fuck off! If you think you already know, then why bother asking!?"

Laughing even more, He Tian shrugged.

"Obviously so I can see you two wet yourselves."

Unimpressed, the blonde grabbed his next shot and looked to the man beside him.

"Okay Zhan Xixi, do your worst!"

Thinking it over, Zheng Xi smiled.

"If you were suddenly changed into a girl, what would be the first thing you would do?"

Putting his drink down, Jian Yi scoffed.

"That's an easy one. Obviously, I'd go shopping for the hottest outfits I could find. Imagine all the free drinks I could get at the clubs with these sexy legs in a skirt!"

At the answer, Zheng Xi's face became a little too red to just be a coincidence. Seemed like He Tian noticed too and couldn't help but tease him.

"Oh~ Zhan Zheng Xi, are long legs in a skirt your biggest turn-on that you wouldn't tell us about?"

Now, Jian Yi playfully slapped his thigh and winked.

"Anyone who saw me in a skirt would be turned-on, not just Zhan Xixi."

Shaking his head, Guan Shan gave him a look.

"Speak for yourself, I think you're letting your drinks go to your head."

Insulted, the blonde put his hands on his hips as he scowled.

"Oh yeah? Then what do you find attractive in a partner?"

Feeling his heart skip in his chest, Guan Shan looked at the other man in surprise.

"What?"

Not letting it go, Jian Yi pushed again.

"You heard me. Because from where I'm sitting, there's not much to find attractive about that creep She Li."

Feeling his face blanch, he quickly glanced at He Tian who was just as surprised as he was. Gripping his glass tightly, Guan Shan swallowed hard.

"I'm done playing this stupid game." Taking the shot as he stood up, he started to gather his things as the atmosphere turned awkward.

Before getting too far, He Tian had crossed the room and gently touched his waist, causing him to jump. Leaning in, the taller man whispered to him.

"Hey, come talk to me in the other room." When he didn't respond, He Tian looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please?"

Sighing, he let He Tian guide him towards the bathroom so they could have some privacy. Once they were both inside the room, Guan Shan heard the door shut quietly behind him.

"So? What do you want?" Crossing his arms over his chest, he waited for the dark-haired man to say something.

Walking over to him, He Tian spoke in a soft tone.

"You know he didn't mean anything by it. He's clearly drunk, and his mouth ran before his brain could catch up."

Averting his gaze, Guan Shan awkwardly toed the ground.

"Like I give a fuck. That idiot says dumb shit all the time." Yet, his anxiety seeped into his words. With a quiet voice, Guan Shan nervously looked back at He Tian. "I thought you said they didn't know..."

He would be lying if he said he didn't feel hurt. Though the look in He Tian's eyes made his heart flutter when the other man spoke.

"I swear, I didn't tell them anything. They already knew you were with him, but not _why_ you're with him." Pulling him closer, Guan Shan didn't bother fighting as He Tian gently hugged him. "I wouldn't betray you like that."

Letting his fingers lightly rake through Guan Shan's hair, He Tian continued to soothe him.

"I know it caught you off guard, but don't let it ruin your night. Take some time to relax, and I'll go out there to beat his ass. When you're ready, will you come back out and join us?"

Guan Shan felt like such a dumbass for needing to be coddled over something so stupid. He shouldn’t have let it get to him in the first place. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the larger man away.

"Fine." Seeing He Tian smile made Guan Shan blush. Avoiding eye contact, he put on his usual front. "Just give me a minute alone, alright? And stop being such a kiss ass, it’s annoying."

“More like I’ll kick your ass.” Flicking his ear with a smirk, the dark-haired man then made his way to the bathroom door while Guan Shan turned towards the marbled sinks. Hearing the door open and close, he let out a deep sigh once he was finally alone.

Why the fuck did Jian Yi have to be such a bastard sometimes... _Ugh._ He didn’t exactly relish the thought of having to face everyone again after that. It was humiliating enough that He Tian knew about them, but apparently it was news to everyone.

Turning the warm water on, he bent down and used it to wash his face. Thankfully, the warmth helped to hide his embarrassment and calm his nerves. Using the nearest hand towel to dry off, he growled under his breath at his stupidity.

When he looked at himself in the mirror, he frowned. He only needed to make it through tonight, then he would keep pushing them away until they finally gave up on him.

Or so he told himself.

It was obvious that He Tian was getting too close, and Guan Shan would be a fool to say he wasn’t falling for the guy all over again. Even though he knew it would only hurt him, it was like he couldn’t stop himself from getting pulled in by the bastard.

That was why he delayed this get together for as long as he could. The more he saw them, the harder it was to ignore the feelings that he had buried so long ago. That, and the fact that She Li had become overly possessive lately. The silver-haired man clearly didn’t trust him and wanted to keep an eye on him at all times, much to his annoyance.

Rubbing his face, Guan Shan let his shoulders sink as he sighed. Reluctantly walking over to the bathroom door, he strengthened his resolve.

“Might as well get tonight over with...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long wait. Lot's of stuff going on at the moment, and I was writing as much as I could in my spare time. Originally, this chapter was going to be extra long (like 10k words), but then I didn't want too much happening all at once and feeling messy. Though, that means I've also got half of the next chapter written since I made some last minute changes to this one.
> 
> Also I hope you all enjoyed the truth or dare scene, I was having a blast writing it haha. Next chapter, the boys aren't quite done with movie night, and I want some quality time with Momo and He Tian!
> 
> Let me know what you think 😊


	13. What Are You Hiding?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys finish up movie night and the cat jumps out of the bag.

By the time Guan Shan walked out of the bathroom, the other idiots had settled down and were back to casually chatting amongst themselves on the couch. Feeling a little embarrassed, he quickly glanced at the front door. Chewing his bottom lip, the idea of sneaking out crossed his mind, but he quickly shook the thought from his head. Letting his expression twist into its usual frown, he reluctantly made his way back towards the others.

As he walked into the open space, he tried to sneak around the back of the couch unassumingly, hoping to avoid unnecessary awkwardness. In his head, he wanted nothing more than to pretend that the last hour never happened, but he was never that lucky. And right on cue, Jian Yi’s drunk ass was all over him once he was within grabbing distance.

“Redhead!!!" The blonde cried as he dramatically pulled Guan Shan onto the couch. "I didn’t mean to make you so angry! I should have known since you’re such a sensitive soul~”

As the blonde whined his apology, all Guan Shan could do was wait until the guy finally released him from his sloppy hold. Irritated, he brushed the wrinkles from his shirt with a huff as he pushed the other man away.

“Shut the fuck up! I’m not sensitive, you’re fucking sensitive!!" Wanting to drive the point home, he landed a few pokes to the blonde's forehead. "I just didn’t want to listen to your stupidity anymore. I don’t know how anyone can put up with you when you’re like this.”

After rubbing the red spot on his forehead with a pout, Jian Yi crossed his arms over his chest and gave a straight-faced look.

“You’re not fooling anyone, you know? You think if you put on that hard-ass exterior, people won’t notice how nice you are deep down." Putting his hand to his chin, the other man looked like he was considering it as he continued. "And I mean _super_ deep; like if you squint, it's there, but you wouldn't notice it otherwise. You really are the tsundere type, huh?”

Instantly blushing, Guan Shan grabbed the small pillow next to him and smacked the blonde upside the head.

“For someone with such an empty head, how the fuck do you come up with such dumb shit to say!? Are you looking for an ass-kicking!?”

Reeling back from the blow, Jian Yi blindly grabbed the pillow out of his hand and used it as a shield against any more attacks.

“You’re so mean!” Now hugging the pillow to his chest, the other man’s tone resounded with worry despite the childish display. “But I honestly didn’t mean to make you mad. I was only joking around and stuff. I mean, you never mentioned you were going out with She Li...”

At the guy’s words, the other two in the room tensed, unsure of how this scene would play out. It was as if they were waiting for him to blow up, like even just the mention of She Li would set him off. Though he wouldn’t admit it, seeing that bothered him; he hated the fact that they were all walking on eggshells. It was bad enough having to entertain their fantasies about resuming past friendships, but it was even worse when they treated him like some kind of time bomb. He knew what it was like to be around someone like that, and he didn’t want to become the same. 

“My personal life is none of your business,” Guan Shan huffed. Watching the smaller man hug the pillow tighter, he decided to give him a break. Rolling his eyes, he leaned back into his seat as he faked more annoyance than he felt. “Just hearing you talk is making me feel dumber. Am I going to have to listen to you whine all night, or are we going to watch another stupid movie?”

With the clear ‘let’s move on,’ there was a collective deep breath as everyone visibly relaxed. He was grateful that they all seemed to take the hint and settled in for another movie without pushing the matter. After all the excitement, Jian Yi had tired himself out and decided it was time to get all cuddly with Zhan Zheng Xi. Despite being annoyingly gross to watch, Guan Shan wouldn’t normally care since he didn’t give a shit about what those idiots did in their spare time. However, with uncoordinated drunken limbs, the blonde ended up kicking the coffee table and spilling most of the half-emptied drinks onto the other side of the couch.

Now that half of the cushions were sopping wet, they had no choice but to rearrange themselves to fit on the remaining dry side. Not surprisingly, Jian Yi had no qualms about pretty much climbing into Zheng Xi’s lap. And with those two attached at the hip, that left Guan Shan next to He Tian and practically touching thighs with the man. Not that he cared, but he was sure this would open new possibilities for the guy to be a nuisance as per usual.

Doing his best to ignore how close they were now, Guan Shan avoided looking in the dark-haired man’s general direction. Picking at a small spot on his pants, he pretended to watch the movie on the screen instead. He wasn’t even sure what it was about, but it was a way to keep himself distracted at least. Yet from the corner of his eye, he saw He Tian lean forward to grab one of the snacks from the table and open it. Still ignoring the guy as best he could, he was startled by a sudden nudge on his knee. Confused, he finally looked over.

Beside him, He Tian had a piece of one of the treats he was eating and deliberately held it out to him. Acting as if nothing was weird, the guy wore a blank expression without even sparing a glance as the small offering hung between them. When he didn’t take it right away, He Tian nudged him again with his leg in a playful manner.

Getting irritated, Guan Shan whispered at him.

_“What the fuck are you doing?”_

Leaning ever so slightly closer, the dark-haired man looked at him out of the corner of his eye and whispered back.

 _“You looked so sour, I thought you could use something sweet~”_ The faint glimmer in his eye made Guan Shan blush lightly.

 _“Do you ever get tired of being such an idiot?”_ He hissed back, but the other man just smirked as he wiggled the treat up to Guan Shan’s lips.

Without warning, Jian Yi flopped over and draped himself on He Tian’s shoulders.

 _“What are you two WHISPERING ABOUT?”_ The idiot was trying his best to whisper himself, but his drunkenness made it more like whisper yelling.

Without missing a beat, He Tian turned to the blonde and grinned.

“We were just betting on how long it would take before you made a drunken confession to your dearest Zhan Xixi. Based on your longing stares, my guess was ten minutes. But Little Mo has more faith in you~”

Instantly, Jian Yi recoiled with indignation and landed a firm kick into the larger man’s side. At that, He Tian grabbed Jian Yi’s leg and pushed him unceremoniously into Zheng Xi’s lap. The roughhousing had everyone bumping into each other, much to the dismay of the two men on the ends.

Holding his opened drink up out of the way, Zheng Xi yelled at the blonde.

“Hey! Stop jostling around, or you’re going to spill another drink!”

Looking up at the brunette from his lap, Jian Yi whined back.

“Zhan Xixi, are you just going to sit there and let them bully me like this!? Defend my honor!”

Watching the exaggerated quiver of the smaller man’s bottom lip, Zheng Xi gave him an impassible stare.

“I’m not sticking up for you when you brought it on yourself. Stop being so nosy all the time.”

Grabbing onto the brunette's shoulders, Jian Yi pulled himself up and cried at his friend.

“But they started it!” Burying his face into Zheng Xi’s chest, he went to hug him. “Why must you all pick on the handsome underdog!?”

Palming the guy on his head, Zheng Xi pushed him off with a twitch of his brow.

“Hey! Don’t wipe your snot on me, idiot!”

Watching as the two dumbasses started to wrestle each other on the couch, Guan Shan rolled his eyes. Also watching the scene beside him, He Tian suddenly looked over with a smirk and a mischievous glint in his eyes. Bracing for the dark-haired man to do something, he was confused when the smile slowly faded from the other man’s face. Instead of getting into his personal space like anticipated, the guy just settled back into his seat and folded his arms over his chest. A little off-put, Guan Shan didn’t know what to say, so he also just sank back down into the couch.

Not sure about what just happened, his confusion quickly turned into irritation. Something seemed off; he couldn’t place it, but He Tian didn’t seem like himself. _What was that bastard’s plan to annoy him this time?_ Yet, despite waiting for the guy to tease him or continue his usually playful antics, the dark-haired man just sat there in relative silence. Not willing to be the first to break, Guan Shan remained just as quiet as he went back to watching the movie on the TV.

Unfortunately, now that they were just sitting there, his previous weariness was catching up to him quickly. As the minutes ticked by, he could feel his eyelids becoming heavy the longer he sat there. Though he had no intentions of dozing off, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to just rest his eyes for a little...

* * *

Angled in a weird position, Guan Shan woke up from the stiff feeling in his neck. Blinking his eyes open with a groan, he shifted in his seat while he rubbed the soreness from his shoulder muscles. Gathering the energy to sit up, he felt the weight of a blanket fall from his chest down onto his lap. Confused, he moved the blanket from his legs and slid to the edge of his seat on the couch. Taking a moment to collect himself, he realized he was still at He Tian’s place. He must have fallen asleep while they were watching the movie.

 _Just great..._ That hadn’t been part of his plan for tonight, but his work schedule had been so hectic lately that he’d been running on barely any sleep. Whatever... he could berate himself later once he got home.

Though now that he was looking around, he noticed that the lights were off and he was alone in the apartment. Still feeling a little groggy, he started looking around for his phone to check the time. How long had he been sleeping for anyway? Patting down his pants, he couldn’t feel the familiar weight of the device in any of his pockets. _Where the fuck could it be?_ But before he could find it, he heard a quiet rustling from the entryway as the front door open and closed.

Startled, he looked towards the source of the noise and saw He Tian taking off his shoes. Relieved it was just the dark-haired man, Guan Shan sighed as his body relaxed. He had been so on edge lately that sometimes even the smallest things could set off his anxiety. At that moment, He Tian had walked into the room and flopped down next to him.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” Sitting there in the dark, only the dim light from the windows offered any illumination. He watched as the other man pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his lips before continuing. “You looked so innocent without your permanent scowl wrinkling your features that I didn’t want to disturb you earlier~”

The shit-eating smirk and singsong tone of the last part instantly had Guan Shan turning red. Though instead of retorting, he decided not to play into the blatant attempt at firing him up. Clearing his throat, he tried to sound uninterested as he spoke.

“Where did the other idiots go?” The sound of a lighter caught his attention now. Looking over, he watched as the larger man lit his cigarette before lazily taking a drag.

“Jian Yi was passed out, so his chauffeur decided it was best to bring him home for the night. I helped bring him down to the car.”

Humming in assent, Guan Shan wasn’t sure what else to say. Honestly, he felt a little awkward to be stuck with just the two of them now. Getting anxious again, he held out his hand to the other man.

“Hey, give me a cigarette. I forgot mine in my other jacket.” Though the second he asked, he knew he would regret it based on the mischievous grin on the guy’s face.

“Sorry, I don’t have anymore. I was going to go get some later.”

Glaring right away, Guan Shan growled back.

“Bullshit! I just saw you pull out a full pack!”

Without hesitation, He Tian retrieved the pack from his pocket and instantly crushed it in his hand. Stone-faced, the guy tossed the destroyed wad onto the coffee table.

“Oh, would you look at that? It seems like this is the only one left~” Holding the still-lit cigarette out to him, the other man waited for Guan Shan to take it. Feeling his cheeks warm up with a light flush, he huffed as he looked away.

“You’re so fucking childish sometimes.” Despite the harsh words, He Tian didn't seem fazed in the slightest. To his annoyance, he even heard a quiet chuckle from beside him.

“What’s wrong~ Afraid of an indirect kiss?” The guy’s suave tone irked him to no end.

Using irritation to mask his slight embarrassment, Guan Shan clicked his tongue.

“ _Tsk,_ grow up!” Before he could overthink it anymore, he snatched the cigarette from He Tian’s hand. Leaning forward with his elbows resting on his legs, he brought it to his lips and took a shallow pull. The smoke burned his throat and had his eyes watering slightly, but he made sure not to cough in front of the guy like last time; he had enough embarrassment for a lifetime.

Feeling the lingering gaze of the larger man still on him, he took one more drag before handing the cigarette back. Keeping his face blank, He Tian took it as he casually made conversation.

“So, what made you start smoking?”

Not expecting the intimate question, Guan Shan snapped back almost immediately.

“Why do you even care?” Looking over at the other man, he expected to see some kind of silent judgment in his eyes. Instead, the guy just wore an impassive expression despite his outburst. Grumbling to himself, he looked down at his hands as he tried to sound less accusatory. “Why does anyone start smoking? Because I felt like it. That’s why.”

Finishing the cigarette, He Tian leaned forward and snubbed the butt into the ashtray on the coffee table.

“Yeah, I suppose that’s true.” Leaning back, the dark-haired man settled into his seat and looked up at the ceiling before laughing to himself. “Though for me, it started more as a way to piss my brother off. Now, it’s just a habit.”

Guan Shan was a little surprised at the offhand comment. Normally, neither of them talked about personal stuff. It was just easier that way, and he didn’t care to dig into someone’s personal life if they didn’t want to talk about it. Yet, the open honesty from the dark-haired man seemed to be contagious as it had him sharing too.

“A lot of the guys who hang around She Li’s club smoke. I just sorta, I don’t know... picked it up, I guess.” Right as the words left his mouth, he mentally slapped himself for mentioning that silver-haired bastard. He knew it was a sore spot between them, and he didn’t want to keep poking at it. _Man, the atmosphere in the room got awkward real quick..._ Desperate to change the subject, he started picking at the hangnail on his left hand as he mumbled. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

Much to his surprise, the other man nodded before laying a hand over his own heart.

“Why yes, Little Mo, I am naturally this charming~ You don’t have to ask~” The quick wink He Tian threw his way made him scoff.

“Fucking shut up, chicken dick!” Palming the guy’s face, he faked irritation at the joke. Though, when taking his arm back, Guan Shan could feel the nervousness bubble in his chest as he tried to find the right words. “Earlier, did I... you know what, never mind. It’s stupid.”

Shaking the thought from his head, he went to stand. Yet before he could get up, he felt the other man grab him by the hips. With one swift movement, he felt himself get pulled down onto He Tian’s lap. Quickly, the dark-haired man caged him in a bear hug from behind.

“H-Hey!” Startled, Guan Shan couldn’t stop himself from shouting. Realizing how close they were, he flailed around as he tried to wriggle out of the larger man’s hold. Unsuccessful, it became clear that He Tian had him in an iron grip, and his face flared with heat as he felt the warmth of the guy’s breath on his neck. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?”

Precariously perched on the other man’s lap, Guan Shan’s tiptoes skated the ground to try and keep his balance. Behind him, he could hear He Tian’s smirk in his words.

“You’re not running away. I’ll only let you go if you say what’s on your mind~” With a firm hold around his upper body, the larger man waited patiently as if this was the most normal thing to do.

Stammering, Guan Shan’s cheeks flared with more embarrassment.

“I-I already said forget it! Now, let me-” But before he could finish his sentence, He Tian interrupted him by bouncing him up with a single bump of his legs.

“Ah, ah, ah~ Little Mo shouldn’t keep secrets from his friends~”

Grabbing onto the other man’s arms for stability, he growled.

“You really are a shameless bastard...”

Thinking it over, He Tian just shrugged as he smiled.

“I never said I wasn’t~” Now his tone lost some of its playfulness. “You mentioned something about earlier?”

Clearly not letting it go, Guan Shan knew he wasn’t going to get out of this without telling him something. Unsure of himself, he looked down at his lap as he mumbled.

“It's nothing...” Tightening his grip on He Tian’s forearm, he scowled since he knew the other man was still waiting for a response. Settling on the right words, he continued. “Earlier, when you and Jian Yi were messing around, you gave me a weird look and then went radio silent. I just didn’t know if I did something to make you mad?”

Now that he said it out loud, he immediately regretted it. He sounded like such an idiot! Yet, to his surprise, the slight laugh that came from the dark-haired man didn’t have a teasing tone. Instead, He Tian sounded a little embarrassed himself.

“Oh, you noticed that? How kind~ Brother Mo is looking out for my feelings~” That response earned the larger man a firm elbow to the stomach. Letting Guan Shan hit him, He Tian laughed again before continuing. “Alright, alright! If you’re talking about earlier, it was just because I realized you probably didn’t want to fool around in front of the others. I wanted to make sure I didn’t overstep any boundaries.”

Looking over his shoulder, Guan Shan scowled as he pointed out their current seating arrangement.

“Not overstepping boundaries? What the fuck do you call this then!?”

Guan Shan almost missed it, but He Tian’s smile wavered for a split second before he played it off.

“Well, you don’t seem to mind it too much? In the past, you would have been kicking and screaming by now.”

Thinking it over, he realized the other man was right. In the past, he would have freaked out more than this. Yet, for some reason, he didn’t seem to care as much as he thought he would at the moment. Looking down at his hand still clinging to the other man’s arm, he muttered with a slight blush.

“I’m not a kid anymore, you know. And it’s not like I’m the same as I was back then...” The unfinished part of his sentence hung in his mouth. _If only he knew about the things I’ve done with She Li._ While his mind started to buzz with stuff he didn’t want to think about, He Tian released his hold on him. With gentle hands, the dark-haired man guided him to turn around until they were both looking at each other.

“You’re the same to me.” Suddenly, He Tian gripped Guan Shan’s waist and maneuvered him until he was straddling the larger man. Now that they were face to face, the guy reached up to lightly touch his chin. Internally freaking out, he couldn’t think straight.

“H-Hey-!” Moving to swipe the guy’s hand away, Guan Shan stopped when he felt his heart flutter slightly. Noticing how close they were to each other, he couldn’t stop his thoughts from suddenly flashing back to _that_ night. Feeling his cheeks tingle with a slight warmth, he noticed that He Tian also had a slight flush to his cheeks.

Panicking a little, he watched nervously as the other man moved in closer. Frozen in place, he could feel his heart pound in his ears, unsure of what to do. But before he could imagine what might happen, the dark-haired man only brought his head to rest against Guan Shan’s chest with a deep sigh. When the guy wrapped his arms around him again in a careful hug, Guan Shan cautiously brought his hands to rest on He Tian’s shoulders.

Not sure what was going on, he stuttered at the other man.

“W-What are you doing...?” Waiting for the guy to say something, it wasn't long before he felt a harsh laugh against his skin.

“Trying my best to be on good behavior.” The remark held a slight edge to it like he was holding back from saying more.

Seeing the usually confident man look so vulnerable had Guan Shan feeling guilty. This time, it was him who made the first move. With hesitation, he tentatively placed his hand on He Tian’s head. Letting his fingers intertwine into the dark strands of hair, he scoffed as he looked down at the other man.

“You’re such an idiot. Is that supposed to be some kind of grand achievement?”

Below him, he felt He Tian nod his head.

“You have no idea...” Remaining in that position for a while, Guan Shan noticed He Tian’s breathing slowly even out. At one point, he almost thought the other man had fallen asleep until he spoke again. “What did you mean when you said that me coming back only made things worse?”

Cursing to himself that he ever let that slip out, Guan Shan looked away as he let his hand fall from He Tian’s head.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Instantly, the larger man pulled back and looked at Guan Shan with conviction.

“I answered your question. You could at least answer mine.”

Dumbfounded by the directness, he stammered.

“W-What kind of fucking logic is that!? I said it wasn’t important, but you made me ask you!” The frown on He Tian’s face had Guan Shan’s heart twinging in his chest. Feeling even more guilty, he mirrored the guy’s scowl back at him. “Don’t fucking look at me like that... It’s not my fault you took it the wrong way.”

Narrowing his eyes, He Tian questioned him.

“How was I supposed to take it, exactly?”

Folding his arms over his chest defensively, Guan Shan huffed.

“How the fuck am I supposed to know!? It’s not like I can think for you.”

But the dark-haired man kept pushing him.

“I assume it has something to do with She Li then?” Hitting the nail on the head, Guan Shan felt his anxiety spike. Even though he didn’t say anything, He Tian just hummed knowingly, “ _Mmm_.”

Grabbing a fist full of the guy’s shirt, Guan Shan got up in his face with half-hearted anger.

“Don’t _‘mmm’_ me, bastard! Stop acting like you fucking know everything, it’s annoying!”

“It’s not that I know everything, but I certainly know you.” Changing his tone, He Tian’s mood sobered. “Whenever it has to do with him, you always avoid talking about it.”

Not realizing he was so easy to read, Guan Shan gritted his teeth in frustration.

“Why the hell would I want to talk about him anyway?” This was getting out of control extremely fast, but He Tian wouldn’t relent.

“Well, to use your words: you’re _‘together’_ with him, right?” Guan Shan didn’t miss the sharpness when he said ‘together,’ though he didn’t stop the guy from continuing. “Usually, when you spend a lot of time with someone, you would at least mention them from time to time. They're part of your life, after all.”

Deciding not to hold back anymore, he snapped at the other man.

“Why the fuck do you want me to bring up something that’s only going to make things awkward? We both know how you feel about him, so obviously, I would fucking avoid talking about it!” When He Tian remained silent, Guan Shan surrendered with a sigh. “Fucking fine... It’s just... ever since you came back, he’s been relentless. I mean, he’s always been an ass, but you really set him off-”

Suddenly, he heard his phone vibrate from somewhere on the floor. It must have fallen out of his pocket while he was sleeping. Looking over his shoulder towards the noise, He Tian caught his attention again as he spoke.

“Do you need to get that?” Looking at the other man, he heard the device rumble again. Pointing towards where the noise came from, He Tian’s expression betrayed nothing of his inner thoughts. “Seems kind of important.”

Though he didn’t want to leave the conversation how it ended, he was kind of glad for the interruption. Frowning, Guan Shan pushed himself up off of He Tian’s lap and knelt onto the floor. Looking for his phone, he saw the faint glow of its screen from under the couch as another buzz sounded. Grabbing the device, he quickly looked at his notifications with irritation.

"God, stop being so annoy-" His words caught in his throat when he saw the messages were from She Li.

_She Li: ‘I stopped by your place, and you weren't there. Where are you?’_

_She Li: ‘Why haven’t you answered my calls? You know nothing good comes from ignoring me.’_

_She Li: ‘I also know you’re not at your mom’s this time either, so don’t lie to me.’_

The last message had a ball of ice settle in his stomach. From his spot on the couch, He Tian sat up straighter.

“Is something wrong?” The slight worry in the other man’s voice reminded him he wasn’t the only one in the room.

“I-uh, I need to go to the bathroom.” He knew the mumbled excuse was weak at best, but he didn't care. Without saying anything else, he rushed towards the bathroom and left He Tian shouting after him. Once inside the other room, he immediately thumbed out a response.

_Guan Shan: ‘Don’t go near my mom’s apartment.’_

The response came almost instantly with a simple message.

_She Li: ‘Call me.’_

Enraged and still in a bad mood from their earlier fight, he didn’t think before responding.

_Guan Shan: ‘Fuck you! You can’t tell me what to do.’_

_She Li: ‘You know, it’s been a while since I had tea with your mom. Maybe I’ll go visit her.’_

As he stared at the message, Guan Shan’s anger boiled over. He was about to reply with another fuck you when an image started loading on his screen. After a moment, he felt his heart stop when he saw a photo of his mom’s apartment building. Seeing the dim light from the living room lamp, he could recognize the curtains and immediately knew it was her place.

With shaking hands, he dialed the snake’s number as he paced around the small room. His anxiety rose with every ring of the line, and his heart clenched when the guy picked up.

“ _Oh~ Little Mo finally decided to call after ignoring me all night? I’m flattered.”_ The voice on the other side was venomous.

Consumed by irritation and anxiety, he spat back with just as much poison.

“Don’t you dare step foot near her place!” Still pacing, Guan Shan grabbed a fistful of his hair as he contemplated what to do. “What the fuck is your problem tonight!?”

The laugh that reverberated through the speaker held no humor.

_“Calm down. Your mom actually likes me, you know? She’s always so polite when I check up on her.”_

Instantly, he froze in place.

“W-What?” Guan Shan’s voice trembled ever so slightly, but it was enough for the snake to sense it.

 _“Oh, yes~ I like to stop by now and then, just to make sure she’s doing well. Plus, she loves talking all about your visits. Such a sweet woman. Honestly, I don’t know where you get your feistiness~ Maybe it’s from your father's side, hmm?”_ Another mirthless laugh echoed before the other man’s tone shifted back to its aggressive edge. “ _Which brings me to your earlier question; what exactly is my fucking problem tonight? Do you have a guess?”_

Hoping to quell the guy’s anger, Guan Shan tried to stay calm.

“Is this because you’re still mad that I blew you off earlier? I told you I had things to do tonight, but I'd come to see you tomorrow..."

When Guan Shan didn't continue, She Li growled.

 _“Yeah, I bet you have a lot of things to do, huh? What have you been hiding from me, Little Mo.”_ Not a question. _Fuck._

Nervously chewing on his lip, Guan Shan’s mind raced. Did he know about He Tian? He knew this whole movie night was a bad idea, but it was the only way to get everyone off his back... Well, if he was going down, he wouldn’t give this silver-haired bastard any more ammunition than he already had.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I haven’t been hiding anything from you.”

Holding his breath, the other man said the words he feared the most.

 _“You’re at that bastard’s place, aren’t you.”_ Again, not a question but a statement. _He knew._

Feeling his legs go weak, Guan Shan dropped to his knees and sat in the middle of the floor. Heart racing, he fumbled over his words.

“I-It’s not what you think.”

The snarl that ripped through his phone made him cringe.

“ _Don’t play games with me! I told you to tell me immediately if that asshole contacted you, and here I find out you’ve been sneaking around behind my back!”_

Hoping to ease the situation, Guan Shan said anything he could.

“I only came to tell him to leave me alone! You know as well as I do that he won’t stop unless he hears it from me.”

That earned him a curt chuckle.

 _“Sure, that or a visit from a few close friends of mine.”_ The threat wasn’t empty, and Guan Shan felt his veins run cold.

“That’s not fucking necessary!” Trying to sound more confident, he sat up straighter. “I want to take care of this on my own... Please?"

He hated begging the other man, but he knew it was one of the best ways to stroke his ego. And he would swallow his pride if it meant his friend’s safety. The silence felt heavy as he waited for She Li to say something. Eventually, the other man spoke in a dark tone.

 _“Come to the club first thing in the morning. Call out of work if you have to, but I want you_ ** _here_** _.”_ The last part echoed in his ear as an indisputable demand. It was the condition for letting Guan Shan have this.

Closing his eyes, he felt his hands shake slightly as his adrenaline waned. With a shuddering breath, he whispered into the receiver.

“O-Okay, just... stay away from her.” He didn’t have to say anything else before She Li hung up the line. It seemed as if he was barely able to avoid the worst-case scenario, for now.

Letting his phone fall to the floor with a quiet clatter, Guan Shan could feel the sting of tears in his eyes. How did that bastard know exactly how to control him? He knew there would be consequences for this, and it made him nervous... Before he had a chance to collect himself, he heard a slight shuffling from behind.

Startled, he turned around to see He Tian leaning against the closed bathroom door. With the guy blocking his only route of escape, Guan Shan had nowhere to run. Quickly standing, he didn’t know what to say, so he opted for his usual prickly attitude.

“Haven’t you fucking ever heard of privacy?” Avoiding eye contact, he fumbled with the hem of his shirt to hide the fact that his hands were still shaking.

"I heard you yelling, so I came to check on you. I wanted to make sure everything was okay."

When the other man didn't say anything more, Guan Shan rubbed the back of his neck as he mumbled.

“H-How... how much of that did you hear?”

Finally, the dark-haired man shifted forward from the door and calmly walked over to where Guan Shan stood. Reaching out, he gently took Guan Shan’s hand before he spoke.

“I heard enough.” Lightly thumbing over the back of his hand, He Tian looked him in the eyes. “Have I been misreading things? Did you come here to tell me to leave you alone again?"

The slight uncertainty in the larger man’s voice had Guan Shan’s heart clenching with shame. Shifting his gaze, he couldn’t take the intensity of the grey eyes that stared back at him. Swallowing, he stammered.

“I-I don’t... I mean...” Feeling the warmth from He Tian’s hand still holding his, he wasn’t sure how to phrase it. “I was just saying what he wanted to hear. It’s not that I didn’t want to come over, but more that I knew it could cause problems.”

He felt the other man’s grip on his hand tighten ever so slightly as He Tian spoke in a dangerous tone.

“So, She Li didn't know you were here? And that’s what you were fighting about?"

Guan Shan couldn’t quite place the anger in the other man’s voice. A little confused, he furrowed his brows again.

“Well, obviously not? The guy hates your guts as much as you hate his. If he found out we were even talking, he would lose it.” Shaking his head, he frowned. “I mean, he did lose it... _ugh, fuck!”_

Pulling his hands back, Guan Shan buried his face in his palms. Suddenly, he felt firm arms wrap around his body, and he involuntarily stiffened at the contact. Pausing a moment, He Tian then gently held him to his chest as he spoke.

“Did he threaten you?” Though his words were calm, Guan Shan knew he was seething.

“It’s nothing... I don’t want to talk about it right now.” Things were too far out of control, and he didn’t want to add another thing to the storm. A pissed off He Tian could escalate things far more than he needed right now. Thankfully, the larger man didn’t push the subject for the moment. Instead, he pulled back slightly to look Guan Shan in the eyes.

“So, what are you going to do now?” The dark-haired man looked at him with a neutral expression.

Given how high his stress levels were, he knew he shouldn't hang around.

“I think it’s probably best if I head out.” Instantly, the larger man tightened his hold, and Guan Shan saw through his calm façade as anger filled him.

“You’re not planning to meet up with him right now, are you?" Apprehensive, the faintest traces of jealousy resounded in his words.

Trying weakly to push out of his grip, Guan Shan scowled.

“Stop doing that.” Finally breaking free, he crossed his arms over his chest. “No, I’m not going to meet up with him tonight.”

At that, He Tian’s body visibly relaxed. He was obviously relieved, but then he tensed again as his eyes narrowed.

“But... You are going to meet with him soon?” Concern laced his words now.

Letting his arms fall to his side, Guan Shan sighed.

“I have to meet him in the morning.” Looking to the side, he felt his face redden with embarrassment. He knew what it looked like.

Now, He Tian couldn’t hold back anymore, and he seemed to get bigger as his muscles tensed. Clenching his jaw, he practically bore a hole straight through Guan Shan with his eyes.

“I don't feel comfortable letting you go alone. You know it’s not safe.” Reaching forward, the larger man gripped his upper arms as if to prevent him from leaving.

Feeling a little indignant, Guan Shan scoffed.

“I mean yeah, he’s pissed, but I can take care of myself. I have been for a while.” He hated it when He Tian got like this. Shrugging out of his hold again, he went to walk toward the bathroom door. "I know how to handle him even if you don't think I do."

As he gripped the handle, the other man stopped the door from opening with his hand.

“Wait...” He Tian was still upset, but he also sounded anxious. “You said you were meeting him in the morning, right? Then will you at least stay the night?”

Keeping his back to the other man, Guan Shan frowned.

“How many times do I need to tell you no? I need to go home.” Even if this hadn’t happened, Guan Shan hadn’t planned on staying any longer than he had to. Not to mention he still felt awkward about being alone with He Tian after everything.

At that moment, He Tian shifted behind him and nuzzled Guan Shan’s shoulder. Mumbling into the nape of his neck, Guan Shan could barely hear him.

“Please, I don’t want to think about you possibly being in danger all night.” Pulling his face back slightly, he spoke a little more firmly. “She Li already knows you’re here, and you aren’t meeting him until the morning, right? Just stay, and I’ll even drive you to wherever you need to go tomorrow.”

With his resolve wavering, Guan Shan’s stomach tightened. Why did he always have a weak spot for this idiot? Thinking it over, he figured he had nothing left to lose at this point, and he was so fucking tired. No matter how he looked at it, he was fucked.

Letting his shoulders slump in defeat, Guan Shan sighed.

“Fine. I’ll stay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the long wait! I've had a rough couple of months with personal things going on. I appreciate all the support for this story, and I thank you for waiting!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it? Next chapter is going to be a rough one for Momo... I apologize in advance lol


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